No Rest for the Wicked
by Sativaa
Summary: "Ain't no rest for the wicked, money don't grow on trees, I got bills to pay, I got mouths to feed, there ain't nothin' in this world for free. You know I can't slow down, I can't hold back even though I wish I could. I said there ain't no rest for the wicked, until I close my eyes for good." Natsuki Kruger had never been wicked until she suddenly had nothing and a baby on the way.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** It's here, what you've all been waiting for, the beginning of it all. Your comments, questions, concerns, thoughts and feelings are always welcome and appreciated.

 **Pairing(s):** Shizuru/Natsuki(OTP) Reito/Tate, Nao/Nina. Others.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own anything except the plot, a few original characters, and a knack for tampering with the way the universe works and they way certain characters are portrayed.

 **Warning(s):** _Very_ fruity Reito, Regan Kruger, Nao Zhang, Chie Harada, and the use of narcotics, overzealous language, lack of empathy for anything civilized, domestic abuse, talks of domestic abuse, a _very_ perverted Tomoe and Takeda, and a very unprofessional Midori. Story does have futa elements, you have been warned.

* * *

 _"So what we get drunk, so what we smoke weed, we're just having fun, we don't care who sees. So what we go out, that's how it's supposed to be, living young and wild and free."_

 _"Young, Wild, and Free," Snoop Dog._

* * *

 _Prologue_

A tiny rivulet of sweat dribbles down the side of her face, down the gentle slope of her chin, and disappears in between the valley of her breasts. Her fingers, clammy and shaking, clutch the weapon in her grasp with enough force to snap a few fingers, and turn her knuckles white.

She peers around a corner, eyes darting back and forth, ears straining for any suspicious noises that might indicate a move on her assailant's part. Anxiety pools in the pit of her belly, and she shakily runs a hand through her sweat-dampened dark tresses.

The house is in shambles. Furniture has been re-arranged to serve as makeshift cover to avoid direct fire, the curtains are closed to prevent any wandering eyes from anyone who might be taking a casual walk, or the mailman, who likes to peer into people's houses in search of naked women or anything of interest.

She eyes the weapon in her grasp and checks the magazine. She curses internally when she realizes that she only has a few cartridges left. She knows her opponent probably still has a full magazine left. She is very selective with her shots and does not even entertain the notion of firing if she isn't certain the bullets will hit their marks.

She, on the other hand, has a bit of a trigger finger. When she sees opportunity knocking, she's usually one to take it whether or not is has the desired effect. She stiffens momentarily as she hears something drop in the kitchen. If she hadn't been listening, she might've missed it, it was so faint.

She brings the weapon up to her temple and scratches idly as she leans back against the wall, her eyes distant with contemplation. She knows that staying in one place for too long can ultimately end with her being cornered and taken down, but she also knows that moving too quickly without decent cover or a legitimate strategy can also be disasterous.

Another object clatters onto the floor in the kitchen and her finger hovers over the trigger in anticipation. She wills herself to calm down, taking deep breaths and clenching and unclenching her fingers. After a few moments of silence, something else clatters onto the floor and she whirls around the corner with her weapon trained high enough for a possible headshot, the temptation has gotten the better of her.

Her brows narrow in confusion when she sees that her opponent isn't the culprit behind the noise in the kitchen. A few pens and an empty plastic cup have been moved from their perches on the counter, perhaps at the hands of the tempest outside, which had access to the objects through the open windows in the kitchen.

She lowers her weapon and sighs. She spots a few leftover shells on the counter and begins to scavenge them, not even bothering to question where they came from or how they got there. It's her biggest mistake yet because as soon as she relaxes, there's an arm wrapped around her neck and a gun pressed against her temple.

She cries out in surprise as she's dragged from the kitchen and into the wasteland that used to be the living room. She tries in vain to squeeze out of her attacker's grasp, but she is bigger and stronger than she is, and the grip on her neck is like steel. The hold is impossible to escape, but it is in no way harmful, only restraining.

Her attacker pries her weapon out of her grasp and tosses it far out of reach before she kicks out her leg and sweeps her feet out from under her, sending her toppling onto the floor. She groans in pain and gulps when she sees the dark, bottomless barrel of shotgun staring back at her. She raises her hands in surrender, scooting back until she's pressed up against the wall that will soon be painted with her insides.

There's a low chuckle from her assailant that is equal parts amused and malicious. Dark eyes glint dangerously from the holes of the ski-mask pulled over her head, and she knows that beneath the fabric that mask, her attacker is smiling victoriously.

"I have a message for you before I splatter you all over that wall." she said, her voice deceptively kind.

She curls her lip in one last defiant snarl and raises a dark brow expectantly. The victor leans in close, close enough that she can count the specks of gold swirling in her dark green eyes. She presses the shotgun to her forehead and whispers, "Clean this place up when you get home," and pulls the trigger.

A tiny projectile recoiled off the soft skin of her forehead as the nerf bullet hit its mark. Her attacker laughed and pulled off her mask, revealing a beautiful, dimpled smile and a youthful face. She held out a hand. "That's 3-1 this week, Natsuki. Step your game up."

Natsuki grinned wolfishly as she accepted the hand and pulled herself up. She pushed her hair back from her face and wiped the sweat from her forehead with the fabric of her tanktop.

"How?" she questions once she catches her breath. Even though the guns aren't real and it is only play, the game of Cops and Robbers, or in this case Cop and Robber, is awfully distressing. "You were making all that noise in the kitchen, dad, and you were on the other side of the house. How?"

Her father, contrary to belief, flashes her a big, shit-eating grin. "You never once really thought about why there were so many bullets on the kitchen counter and on the floor?"

Natsuki makes a face. "Should I have?"

"Yep, that's where you fucked up. I was never in the kitchen, kid, you got that much, but that doesn't mean that I can't make my surroundings do my bidding. You're like a curious puppy, drawn to noise." Her father says.

That's when it hits her, long after she's been defeated. Though, if it wasn't only a game she'd have been fawning over her mistakes in the afterlife. She chuckles and shakes her head at her own ignorance.

"You opened the windows so that it would look like the wind had knocked the cups and pens on the floor, when in reality you'd been shooting them from the opposite side of the kitchen. You knew that I'd take the bait sooner or later. All you had to do was make more useless noise to draw me into the kitchen, and then you would slither around the opposite corner and ambush me from behind. Well played." Natsuki deducts and unbuttons the vest, draping it over the back of the couch.

Regan holds out her hand expectantly. "Pay up, buster."

Sulking internally, Natsuki reaches into her sweats pocket and extracts a few rolled up bills and deposits them in her father's waiting hand. "4,000 yen." she says with a dejected sigh.

Regan counts her money victoriously and glances at the clock. "You'd better start getting ready, kid, or you'll be late. I have to get going too." She stuffs the money into her wallet and leans down to kiss her only daughter on top of her head. She jogs over to a table near the door to grab her keys and a motorcycle helmet.

"How do I look?" she questions, straightening out her clothes and flashing her daughter a dashing grin.

Regan Kruger is in every sense a woman all but below the waist, the result of a genetic mutation that dates back several generations that is inherited by every first or third daughter regardless of whether the child is fathered by someone with the genetic mutation or not. It's the same if the mother carries the gene as well, the result of spontaneous heredity.

Natsuki's mother had lacked the gene of course, being born from an ultimately different genetic code, but her father had been born of two women and had in turn inherited the gene that would make her capable of having her own children without the use of a male.

The Krugers are well-known for their maleless matriarchy. It would be genetically impossible for them to have sons because of the lack of fully male chromosomes, but full daughters and gifted daughters are extremely more than welcome. It is traditional for them to have more than one child, most of the women in the Krugers had either five or six with at least one gifted daughter to ensure the continuation of the bloodline. The head of the family had been Natsuki's grandfather, Regan's deceased father who had been a legendary Air-force bomber pilot before her untimely demise when the girl had only been a teenager. The title had been given to Natsuki's grandmother, Namiko, who was responsible for the well-being and overall success of the Kruger clan.

After Natsuki's mother had suddenly given up custody of to her father, who hadn't even known of her existence until that fateful day, the two had struggled for a while. Regan had been distant and in denial, claiming to never have wanted a child and convinced that she wouldn't be a good parent to the distraught little girl.

She had dumped the kid with her grandmother while she desperately searched for the girl's mother, but Saeko had seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth, and eventually she gave up. Regan had come back for the girl a few days later because she knew her mother was too old and busy to look after the kid.

But as time slowly drew by, Regan began to slowly open up to the girl and had finally begun to acknowledge her as her daughter after learning she inherited the same genetic mutation and the same lovely green eyes, and their bond had only strengthened over the years.

Today they were practically inseparable, the little family of two with the addition of a family friend's daughter, Nao, who spent more time at their house than her own because her mother was in an out of the hospital battling breast cancer.

Her father was utterly gorgeous and still had problems fending off male suitors despite the knowledge of their similar anatomy. She's tall with a head full of long, wavy dark hair that falls nearly to her waist, thick dark brows that framed a pair of enticing green eyes and long dark lashes. Full lips, high cheekbones, and a pair of charming dimples and a brain to go along with her beauty made her an ideal partner.

She's wearing a tight dark sweater that shows off her toned upper body, a leather jacket, dark jeans, and a pair of suede timberlands. Diamond squares glittered in her ears and the beginnings of a dark tattoo peeked out from the side of her neck. Natsuki gives her a thumbs up.

"Like you care about your job." she tells her.

Regan snorts and tucks her helmet under arm. "I want this house clean before I get home, Natsuki. Get Nao to help you if you want. Tell her she can't sleepover unless she does. And you'd better actually take your ass to school. I don't want them calling me about a truancy. Or your ass is mine, got it?"

Natsuki salutes. "Yes, master."

Only when the distinctive roar of a motorcycle dies in the distance does she actually begin to get ready for school.

...

"Miss Viola, would you like green tea or jasmine?" a servant asks timidly, holding up a tray of fine china cups filled with both flavors.

"Green, please, okini."

"Viola-sama, would you like to wear your hair up or down today?" Another servant questions as she daringly runs her fingers through silky honey-colored tresses. She thinks for a moment.

"How is the weather?"

"Very chilly, ma'am."

"Down is fine." she decides and closes her eyes as her personal stylist begins to trim her fringe. She sips her tea gracefully, listening to the sounds of her servants as they rush to prepare and ensure that she is ready for her day.

One is carefully assessing her school-bag, making sure she has all necessary supplies. Another rummages through her closet, searching through the expensive designer clothing, foreign and native alike, for something appropriate for the chilly weather.

When her hair and makeup is finished and her belly full of her favorite tea, she dismisses her servants and asses herself in the mirror. Her long, wavy honey-colored locks falls around her shoulders and frame her unique, wine-colored eyes. The uniqueness of her eyes is highlighted by the shade of her brows, which were at least three shades darker than her hair.

Her full red lips, the defined slope of her chin and nose, along with a slightly above average height, spoke of something other than a Japanese heritage. A few beauty marks are scattered about her face, her favorite one being the mole above her top lip. She's wearing a wine-colored sweater that brings out the redness of her eyes, a tan skirt, and a pair of scarlet platform heels.

She hangs her school-bag on her elbow and exits the room. A few more servants are gathered near her door, ready to tend to her room while she's away. They bow deeply as she passes by. Her heels click on the marble floor of the enormous mansion.

Fine busts of Japanese samurai, Roman generals, and expensive paintings decorate the premises. Maids, butlers, and housekeepers scatter about, cooking, cleaning, and catering to her or her father's needs.

"Viola-sama," a butler coughs to gather her attention, lowering his eyes respectfully, "Kanzaki-sama has just arrived. He is with your father in the dining hall. They await your presence."

"Thank you."

She's lead by the gangly butler to the intended room. Even more servants are lined up along the walls, carrying trays of various foods and desserts. Her father is sitting at the very head of the table, drinking a glass of wine. He's clad in a dark ebony suit with a blood red tie that matches his cold crimson eyes.

His long blonde hair is styled into an immaculate comb over, held in place by expensive gel. He looks up as he hears the clicking of her heels over the noise in the dining hall. He rises robotically and kisses the back of her hand in a customary greeting.

"Shizuru, my dear, you look lovely." he says, though the compliment is little more than obligation. She smiles politely.

"Thank you, father. Reito." she turns to the handsome man sitting to her father's left. He's wearing a beautifully tailored tuxedo that accentuates the muscles in his chest and arms. His dark hair is slicked back, but a defiant strand hangs loose over his forehead and reminds her of that American superhero who wears the extremely tight pants.

His golden eyes are framed by insanely dark, thick brows. He's sporting a charming, roguish stubble, and his smile is absolutely dazzling. She leans over and kisses her soon-to-be husband on his cheek.

"Shizuru, you look lovely." he mimics her father, but his words are absolutely genuine and she offers him a thankful smile.

Reito is the son of a very powerful business tycoon and Shizuru is expected to marry him to bring the companies together, and bear a son who would in turn take over after his father. Her father had promised his father her hand shortly after her mother died with no regard for her feelings.

As a woman, she is expected to do things her husband, or any man for that matter said, with a smile on her face and without question. She has learned over the years that defying her father will only harm her, in more ways than one.

"So Reito," her father begins in that deep voice of his, "Shizuru tells me that you've already been accepted to Tokyo Univeristy."

Reito wipes his mouth with a napkin and discreetly fixes his future wife with a smoldering glare. "I've met with a few administrators, yes."

"You'll have to tell me more over dinner sometime." he says as he rises from his seat and adjusts his tie. His eyes gleam with pride as he stares down at Reito, as if he were his child and not the young woman sitting by his side. "I have more important matters to attend to, son. I will see you both later."

And with one last proud smile directed at Reito, patriarch Kaiden Viola disappears into the throng of servants, business tycoons, and bodyguards, leaving the two adolescents to finish their meal in peace. When the two are finished with their meals, they walk out of the mansion and towards the stretch limo parked outside hand-in-hand.

Reito waves off the chauffeur when she makes a move to swing around the back to open the door for her charges and does so himself.

"Straight to the school or shall I drop you both off at the little ramen shop?" the chauffeur, Yamato questions as she drums her gloved fingers along the leather covering of the steering wheel.

"The school, Mai said the place is getting renovated." Reito answers smoothly as he wraps an arm around Shizuru's shoulders and leans over to give her a deep, sensual kiss.

However, as soon as Yamato pulls out of the driveway and the mansion becomes nothing more than a speck in the distance, he disentangles himself from the girl and practically leaps onto the row of seats opposite of hers. He wipes his mouth with the back of his wrist and flashes her an apologetic smile.

"Mou, Reito," she feigns hurt.

"It's not you, Shizuru, it's me." he says and reaches out to squeeze her hand. "I have to keep myself fresh and ready for my future husband."

Shizuru rolls her eyes. "Yuuichi-san isn't going anywhere."

"He might with that _bitch_ Shiho," he snarls, then catches and composes himself, "pardon my French, but she's constantly all over him and it infuriates me!"

Shizuru pat his arm affectionately. There's a reason why she feels so close and comfortable to Reito. Like herself, he also preferred the same sex, though he is a lot more obvious with it. He can be really flamboyant when he wants to be, but he's sure to act as masculine and heterosexual as possible around his family and her father.

Reito doesn't have identity issues, he knows exactly who he is, what he likes, and what he wants. But this just wasn't about him. He would rather have Shizuru be his beard and vice-versa, then let some other creepy heir marry her just for the sake of her father and his company.

He's known her for years. He knows how ruthless and cold her father can be. He's tended to her wounds before, rocked her in his arms when she broke down, snuck her chocolate when she craved it.

"How does Reito even know that Yuuichi-san is even into boys?" Shizuru questions, raising her brow.

He looks at her as if she's just sprouted wings. "Because I'm Reito, duh."

"Of course." she playfully dips her head. "Forgive my inquiries, my lord."

He snorts and crosses his legs. "That's right. And as an act of leadership and superior authority, I demand that you put in a good word for me with Tate."

"Ara, and what shall I tell him?"

Reito taps his knee and thinks for a moment. "Tell him I love kids. Everyone finds that sexy, right?"

Shizuru laughs softly. "From what I've heard, he's quite the sports fanatic."

"Sports?" Reito's face falls momentarily. He knows little to nothing about sports. "Can you be a bit more specific?"

"He's been in and out of the Student Council room demanding that the school put together a football team, claiming it would benefit the board because it's multicultural." Shizuru informs him.

"Don't we already have a football team? The one where they kick the ball and run up and down the field?" Reito asks, confused.

"Yes, but there are two different kinds apparently. The one he wants is the one with the pointy ball and all of that heavy equipment they pile on so that they may tackle each other."

Reito's face lights up in realization. "Is that the one where your teammates slap your butt after you score?"

At Shizuru's nod, Reito grabs her hand and looks up at her with bright puppy-dog eyes. "Shizuru you have to convince the board to heed this request! This can truly benefit me!"

Her eyes twinkle with amusement. "Ara, don't you mean the school?"

"Yes, that's what I said."

...


	2. Chapter 2

_"Cigarettes on cigarettes, my mama think I stank. I got burn holes in my hoodies and all my homies think its dank. I miss my coco-butter kisses, I miss my coco-butter kisses."_

 _"Coco-butter Kisses," Chance the Rapper._

* * *

 ** _No Rest for the Wicked_**

 _Chapter I: "School Flow"_

"Yo, Kruger!"

Natsuki looks up from her task of locking up her bike on the rack upon hearing her name. A girl with a head full of short, messy brown locks and dark rimmed glasses jogs forward. Natsuki flashes her friend a smile in greeting.

"Damn, your dad still tripping about attendance?" she says sympathetically as Natsuki finishes securing her BMX.

"Yeah, she said she'll give me my bike back when my attendance improves." Natsuki groans. "Until then I'm stuck with this."

Her friend chuckles and gives her a reassuring pat on her shoulder. "Hey, cheer up, Kruger. At least you have me to keep you company."

Natsuki raises a brow. "I think your definition of company and mine are two completely _different_ things, Chie."

Chie waggles her brows suggestively. "That may be true, but they both end with you being on your ass!"

Chie's arm slithers around her shoulders as they round the corner of the school's parking lot, laughing and joking about inappropriate topics and discussing plans for the house party they were planning on hosting to celebrate the end of the semester and the beginning of spring break.

Although it is rather early, the school is bustling with life and chatter. Various social groups loiter around the front entrance. A few cheerleaders are busy sneering at girls they deem unworthy, a group of underclassmen are tossing a worn football back and forth, hooting and hollering like a pack of wild animals.

A security guard is hot on the heels of a troublemaker, who unapologetically barrels into people in his haste to get away. Drugs are exchanged as quickly and normally as numbers, narcotics and alcohol take the place of school supplies in backpacks, and already a few individuals are sporting sunglasses and complaining of headaches.

"Kruger," a faceless boy with blonde hair greets them as they trot up the stairs, his eyes hidden behind a pair of dark glasses. He leans in close, as if he has a secret and whispers, "got bud?"

Natsuki shakes her head with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, dude, maybe next time."

His shoulders slump in disappointment. "Damn, you think Zhang has any? Or Yuuichi?"

"Yuuichi might, actually," Chie says matter-of-factly. "I think I saw him under the bleachers."

The boy scurries off without another word.

"I don't even think Nao is here yet. You know she likes her beauty sleep." Chie says as they reach their lockers.

"Beauty sleep? She needs to hibernate, if that's the case." Natsuki snorts as she punches in her combination and swings open her locker.

A hand roughly whacks her upside the head and she groans, cradling her aching skull. A familiar pair of purple pumps stare back at her. "Ouch, what the hell, Mai?"

Mai, a busty red-head with soft purple eyes and a knack for mothering her friends, glares at the dark-haired teenager. "You promised that you two would be nicer to each other."

"I think that only applies if she's _around._ " Chie points out, and Natsuki nods in agreement.

"See? I haven't broken any promises."

Mai shakes her head and folds her arms underneath her breasts, inadvertently pushing them upwards. She then begins a lecture that, unfortunately for her, falls upon deaf ears.

"Um, hello," Mai snaps, "my eyes are up here."

"Yes but they're not nearly as appealing as the sight bestowed upon us at this very moment," Chie says.

Natsuki has enough sense to refrain from agreeing with her this time.

As the two continue to argue, Natsuki assesses herself in the mirror. The school, much to a few strict instructors and the occasional orderly students' displeasure, had foregone its uniform policy, hoping the newly awarded freedom would improve the school's overall image.

She's wearing a pair of ripped denim jeans, a dark blue baseball shirt, and a pair of stark white Nikes. Her piercings gleam in the dim lighting of the hallway, and the beginnings of various tattoos peek out from beneath the fabric of her shirt.

Her looks have drawn the attention of plenty of admirers, girls and boys alike. Undying feelings are confessed to her at least once a week, love letters are stuffed religiously into her locker and taped to her motorcycle.

Natsuki is extremely popular, not just because of her looks, but because of her mysterious ice queen persona, her sense of style, her carefree, borderline reckless nature, and her intelligence. Even though she is quite the troublemaker and spends more time in the principal's office than in class, she does posses quite a brain.

Her grades are something to be jealous of. The only reason that she isn't placed in classes with individuals as intelligent as her is because of her attendance -or lack there of- and her delinquent tendencies.

She's behind _ninety-nine point nine percent_ of the _chaos and mayhem_ that goes on around the school.

"Speaking of the devil," Natsuki says as she catches a glimpse of a familiar head of red hair. Nao slowly trudges toward the duo, her gait sluggish and her eyes half closed. "Morning, Sleeping Ugly."

"Go play in traffic, mutt." Nao grumbles as she runs a hand through her messy red locks. "Chie, it's nice to see your fingers haven't fallen off yet."

Chie flashes her a grin. "Nope, in fact…"

Nao holds up a well-manicured hand. "I don't want to hear it, Hallard. Keep your sexual escapades to _yourself."_

"Trouble in paradise?" Mai asks softly.

"Which is actually translated to; _trouble in pussy?_ " Chie elbows Natsuki in the ribs, daring her to agree. Natsuki, upon seeing Mai's glare, turns away, suddenly finding interest in her history textbook.

"Nina's mad at me." Nao admits.

"Oh, shocker," Natsuki mutters.

"What'd you do this time?" Mai says, exasperated.

"I might have possibly forgotten our anniversary…"

There's a collective wince from each of the girls and Nao tries not to punch Natsuki in frustration. It isn't like Natsuki actually has anything to do with her current dilemma, but she does prove to be a useful punching bag.

Natsuki rolls her eyes as she glares at a group of freshman boys that are staring at her from the opposite end of the hallway. They immediately fall into an argument over who she was actually staring at, even going as far as pushing and shoving each other.

"You've got some serious grovelling to do." Chie remarks. "I can give you some tips if you'd like."

"If I want tips on how to contract a serious sexually transmitted disease, I'll call you." Nao replies as she flips her hair and walks the other way. Chie frowns and Natsuki glances at Mai.

"And you want me to be nice to that?"

 **\- No Rest for the Wicked -**

"Bubuzuke!"

Shizuru looks up from her tea as a furious blonde barges into the Student Council room, her eyes glittering with annoyance. She tosses a handful of papers into the girl's lap.

"Ara, what seems to be the issue, Haruka-san?"

Haruka is a boisterous blonde girl with intense green eyes and a temper to match. Despite her Japanese heritage, the girl was born overseas in a small town in the United Kingdom. Her Japanese isn't the strongest or the most fluent and she often mispronounces words.

Haruka's glare is like fire. "Are you petitioning for a football meme?"

"It's team, Haruka," a meek voice whispers from the corner of the room, hidden behind a tower of paperwork.

Yukino is a very small, very shy brunette with mousy brown hair and a pair of large spectacles. Despite being very quiet and docile, she happens to be Haruka's best friend and is always around to correct her mistakes.

"That's what I said!"

Shizuru looks at the papers and blinks. "Ara, it seems as though Reito has taken this to heart. I think it's wonderful."

"He's standing outside with a bullhorn demanding to see the board of education!"

Shizuru stifles a laugh behind her hand. "Oh, you know boys and their sports." she waves dismissively.

" _Boys_ , yes. _Kanzaki_ , no!" Haruka bellows as she stalks over to the window and presses her face against the glass. "This is an outrage! They should be in ass!"

"Class, Haruka…"

Shizuru moves over to the window. "Ara, he's certainly gathered quite a crowd."

In the very center of campus, beneath the flagpole, is a group of male students surrounding the rally stage. Reito is on stage preaching through a bullhorn, a football clutched in his hands.

"Someone needs to stop him!" Haruka demands. "And by someone, I mean _you_!"

"Ara, and why would he listen to me?"

"Because one tea drinker will listen to a mother!"

"Another, Haruka."

"That's what I said! Gah, forget it," Haruka fumes and reaches into her bag, grabbing a box of tampons and a box of red markers. "If you want something done right, do it yourself!"

Haruka sprints out of the room. A few moments later, Shizuru can see her through the window outside heading straight for the group of boys. The assembly suddenly disperses, boys running in various directions trying to escape from Haruka, who's holding up a bloody... _tampon?_

Shizuru giggles and returns to her chair. She presses the cup of tea to her lips and takes a sip.

"Why is Reito suddenly all for a football team?" Yukino asks timidly.

Shizuru's eyes sparkle with mischief. "Ara, he thinks constructing a football team it will have its benefits."

"Yes, but what kind of benefits exactly?"

"Uniting the male body of course."

 _In more ways than one._

 **\- No Rest for the Wicked -**

"So, I was thinking we should throw this motherfucker Friday night. The sooner the better." Chie insists as she glances at each and every individual gathered around Natsuki's desk. First period started roughly thirty minutes ago, but since break is only a few days away, their teacher, Midori, decided to take it easy on them.

A sandy-haired boy nods in agreement as he runs a comb through his multi-colored locks. He's lounging on the chair in front of Natsuki's, clad in a pair of cut off shorts, a muscle shirt, and a pair of comfy looking slippers. "Man, foreal."

Four pairs of eyebrows raise simultaneously.

"Anyway," Tate continues, "you got the _list_ right?"

"List? What _list?_ "

Tate makes frantic gestures. "You know, the list! How do y'all not know what the list is? That's not cool, yo."

"...Right, what's on the list?" Natsuki directs the conversation into a progressive sequence, insisting on ignoring Tate's refusal to make sense.

"Man, ya'll _trippin'_ , foreal." Tate groans, "the _list_ , you know. The drugs, the drinks, the bud!"

There's a collective groan of realization. "Why didn't you just say so?" Nao growls, slapping the boy upside his head. "Of course we got the list, kinda party you think this is?"

"Your dad's cool with us using the crib, right?" Tate asks Natsuki, who looks positively bored out of existence.

"Yeah, she doesn't care as long as I don't get arrested or completely trash the place. Besides, she's working overtime this weekend." Natsuki explains, leaning back in her chair.

"Working overtime? Is that some kind of dirty euphemism for banging the secretary?" Chie asks with a suggestive wink.

Nao shudders in disgust. "I sure hope not, but knowing RJ it might be. She's an old dog and that makes _Fido_ over here a _mutt_."

Natsuki's eyes gleam as she suddenly leans forward and folds her hands neatly on her desk. "Guess that makes _you_ the _bitch_ , huh?"

"The fuck's a Fido?" Tate wonders aloud.

"Guys, focus," Mai rubs her temples tiredly. Honestly, it's like dealing with a rowdy bunch of disobedient children. "Friday is only three days away, If we're going to plan we need to do it now."

"Melons is right, dawg," Tate says, "you probably ain't even spread the word about this shindig, have you?"

"Okay, what the fuck is he saying?" Chie asks. "Somebody Google Translate this."

"There's no translation for stupid, Chie." Nao replies. "But we do need to spread the word. Any ideas?"

Natsuki raises her hand. "Yeah, I've got this. YO!"

Everyone pauses in their ministrations to look at the dark-haired girl. A wolfish grin takes ahold of Natsuki's full pink lips. "Party at my place this friday!"

There's a deafening cheer from all occupants of the room, even Midori, who is supposed to be the adult around here. Natsuki looks at her friends. "Mission accomplished." she shouts over the roar of the crowd.

"Aw, shiet that's what I'm talking 'bout, playa!" Tate fist pumps, a roguish grin plastered on his lips.

Suddenly, there's a thick, confused silence. "What did he say?" someone from the back row asks, his brows furrowed in confusion.

"Just stop while you're ahead." Natsuki says with an irritated grimace.

\- No Rest for the Wicked -

Shizuru sighs heavily as her father's secretary bombards her with the tasks and agendas she will have to complete before the day is over. School let out about fifteen minutes ago, and students are loitering around the front entrance in groups of threes and fours.

A rowdy bunch of freshman are hooting and hollering in that strange male language of theirs, chasing after a football. Another group of boys barrel past her, nearly bowling her over in their haste to get away from yet another security guard.

A group of seniors are gathered around a black corvette, marveling at its sleek interior while a rather cocky girl leans against its hood, her mouth curved into an arrogant smirk. How she wishes she can indulge in the carelessness and lack of empathy that comes with adolescence.

She longs for the ability to stay out late with a group of close friends, laughing and partying, then sleeping through the entirety of school the next morning. But her father is a harsh, borderline cruel man, and very strict man. He will never allow such trivial things.

She doesn't have friends. People who worship the very ground she walks on, but _friends_ is a term she isn't familiar with. She doesn't have any siblings, and her father often voices his displeasure about having an unworthy daughter instead of a capable son to carry out his legacy.

"Viola-sama," her father's secretary's raspy voice calls, "if you don't mind, I will only be a moment," she says, gesturing to the slightly rundown in front of them, her black eyes eyes pleading. Shizuru meekly nods her consent and the pencil thin woman pulls open the doors and disappears inside.

Shizuru looks awfully out of place standing outside a dingy liquor store clad in expensive Louis V. heels, a red Calvin Klein long sleeved sweater, and a tight, tan skirt that stops about mid-thigh. It will only be a matter of time before her father's limo will pull up near the curb as well. She walks around in aimless circles for a few minutes, wondering what could possibly be keeping Keko so long, and looks up as she hears a pair of voices.

Two girls roughly around her age are approaching from the opposite end of the sidewalk. One is small with red hair, standing on the pegs attached to to the rear wheel of the other girl's shiny black bike. The red-head hops of before the bike even comes to a complete stop and stalks into the liquor store.

Shizuru's breath catches in her throat. She's never seen a more beautiful creature in her life. She can tell that she's tall and lithe even though she's sitting down, and toned by the way her blue sweater clings to her torso.

Her jeans have stylish rips and tears along her thighs and her feet are clad in stark white high-tops. Her long hair falls down her back in silken obsidian waves, framing a pale, heart-shaped face that holds vivid green eyes.

She lazily twirls her bike's handlebars as she waits, her green eyes roaming Shizuru's body from head to toe appreciatively. She leans forward, resting her chin on the cool metal. "You go to Fuuka?" her husky voice makes Shizuru weak in the knees.

"Yes," Shizuru says politely, marveling at the amount of piercings in the girl's face. She has one in her left eyebrow, two below that same eye, and multiple studs decorating the outside of her ears. Shizuru can also see the beginnings of a tattoo on her neck. She's absolutely stunning.

"Do you?"

"Yep," she says, her voice laced with boredom. "Sometimes."

Shizuru tilts her head to the side curiously. She would've remembered such a gorgeous face.

"I'm attendance-in-tolerant," the girl offers, "probably why you don't know me or you've never seen me before."

That makes sense. Shizuru is very good with names, she is the Kaichou after all. "Viola, Shizuru," she says politely, holding out a slender hand.

"Kruger, Natsuki Kruger." Natsuki replies, pounding her outstretched hand with a closed fist. Shizuru tilts her head to the side, confused by the action. It must be a teenager thing, she thinks, as if she herself doesn't fall into the category.

"Hey, you should come to my party friday." Natsuki says suddenly.

Shizuru's eyes glitter with interest. She's never been to a party before. Balls, weddings, and social gatherings, certainly, but never a party. "Is it your birthday?"

Natsuki laughs and shakes her head. "Nah, just a little something to kickstart break. Besides, you don't need a special occasion to get have a good time."

"And your parents are okay with this?"

"My dad doesn't care as long as I save her the good stuff and keep the house together. Besides, she's working overtime this weekend, I have entire place to myself." Natsuki explains as the little red-head exits the store carrying an armful of chips, soda, and candy. Her school-bag, which Shizuru thinks lacks anything school-related, is also filled to the brim with various snacks and sweets, and even a few condoms.

"Up yours, asshole!" she snarls at the cashier, flipping him the bird and stuffs the rest of the teeth-rotters in her back before climbing back on the bike. "Come on, mutt, mush."

"1420 Sakura Lane." Natsuki throws over her shoulder as she whirls the bike around.

"Wait!" Shizuru cries before they get too far. "What is the dress code?"

Natsuki chuckles, "Anything you want, babe."

And with that, the two girls vanish around the corner, just as Keko exits the store and a flawless white limo pulls up in front of the store.

"My apologies, Viola-sama," Keko says sheepishly, "A rather hungry girl had quite a lot of purchases."

Shizuru doesn't mention the fact that Keko was in there before the girl had even arrived. Natsuki had called her 'babe' even though they weren't romantically involved… Nevertheless, she can feel the tips of her ears and the bridge of her nose erupt with a prominent blush.

1420 Sakura Lane…

 _If it ensures that I get to see you again, I accept your invitation, Nat-su-ki._

 **-No Rest for the Wicked-**

 _First and foremost, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE 1K REVIEWS ON SMOKE AND MIRRORS! I appreciate all your love and support, and I will continue to provide all your SHIZNAT NEEDS! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!_


	3. Chapter 3

_No Rest for the Wicked_

* * *

 _"Take this pillow right here. And I know you're so excited if you bite it they won't hear."_

 _"Neighbors' Know My Name," Trey Songz_

 _"Say my name, say my name, when no one is around you, say baby I love you if you ain't runnin' games. Say my name, say my name, you're acting kind of shady, baby, why you runnin' games?"_

 _"Girls Love Beyonce," Drake_

 _"See you sexy and them jeans got me on 10. 1-2-3, think I got you pinned. Don't tap out, fight until the end. Ring that bell, we gone start over again. We ridin' with passion 'cause it's your birthday. Been at it for hours, I know you thirsty. You kiss me so sweetly, taste just like Hershey's. Tell me where you want your gift, girl."_

 _"Birthday Sex," Jeremih_

* * *

Chapter 2: Friday Night Lights

Friday night doesn't come fast enough for Natsuki and her friends.

All throughout the week there had been a number of individuals offering to help out with the party's preparations by donating bottles of liquor, narcotics, and other things they felt would contribute to what is already being called the Party of the Year.

Natsuki had thrown numerous parties in the past. Each and every one of them had reached ultimate party status, but she felt that this year's party will take the cake.

Word travelled fast and they expected that most of the school, if not the entirety of it, will be attending as well as a few stragglers from other schools such as Gaderobe and Windbloom.

Although those schools are private and well known for their strict curriculum, the individuals who had crashed her parties in the past had brought along with them some of the best weed and foreign liquor she has ever had the pleasure of consuming.

When Friday finally comes, Natsuki and Nao go straight home after school to make sure everything is in order. After shooing off her father and making rounds to the neighbors' houses to inform them about excessive noise and party-related activities ahead of time, they shower, change out of their school clothes, and venture into the kitchen for a quick drink.

"Here's to the future Party of the Year," Nao holds up her shot glass and clanks it against Natsuki's. "And to the possibility of you getting laid."

Natsuki downs the contents of her glass in one huge gulp, slamming it back down against the counter with a sour grimace. "Oh? Is that why there were so many condoms on my bed this morning?"

"One plus one equals nine months if you don't wrap it up." Nao says. "Consider it a favor. You can thank me now."

Natsuki peers out of the window upon hearing the pulsating beat of a Japanese trap song, the sign of incoming party guests. "I would, but you see, you're little favor doesn't benefit me."

Nao narrows her eyes. "Why? Did Daddy dearest get you neutered ahead of time?"

Natsuki smirks as she flags down the party bus. She flashes Nao an arrogant look over her shoulder. "No, they're too _small._ "

Nao raises an eyebrow. "Those were the biggest they had…"

...

She told her father she would be participating in a charity event hosted by the celibacy club, and to her surprise, he believed it. Although, his latest conquest, a young woman not much older than herself probably has something to do with it.

Her father's chauffeur is a woman of few words and doesn't act any questions regarding Shizuru's destination. She watches the neighborhood lights through the partition. She's nervous, her palms are moist, and her heartbeat is erratic.

She has never lied to her father before. She knows what the consequences of her actions can be, but this is her chance to finally do something on her own accord, and finally be a teenager. She can hear the party before she can actually see it.

She can't really understand what is being said by the artist speaking in the song. Her English class helped her distinguish basic words like 'money' and 'diamonds' but most are foreign to her. The streets are absolutely packed with cars parked in any open space their driver's could find.

Some are even parked in front of red curbs and front lawns. She peeks through the tinted windows. It is much like the after school atmosphere; lazy, carefree, and upbeat. She giggles as she watches a brightly painted car bounce hazardously on the coils attached to the wheels, its occupants screaming with glee, holding onto the seats and their red cups for dear life.

More people are gathered in the street, drunkenly playing basketball basketball or chasing each other around. A group of stoners are huddled in a circle to the far right. Two boys on motorcycles race through the cul-de-sac, despite its crowdedness.

The party is centered around a rather impressive loft with massive glass windows. She can see an ample amount of people inside the complex, dancing and just overall having a good time.

"There's nowhere to park," her driver announces, "I can let you out right here if that's alright with you, Viola-sama."

"Here is fine. Thank you, Yamato." Shizuru says as she steps out of the limo and waves at the dark-haired woman, who gives her a simple, stoic nod.

"Call me when you're ready to leave, Viola-sama, I won't be far." Yamato replies.

Shizuru smiles gratefully as Yamato steered the vehicle down the street and vanished amongst the throng of cars. She glances at her outfit, hoping she hasn't overdressed for the occasion. She looks around at the other girls and their clothes, or lack-there-of. She feels confident.

She's wearing another short skirt, expensive top, and a pair of dark gucci heels. She doesn't own much else. She walks towards the loft, ignoring the surprised gasps of students her school and squeezing through the throng of sweaty bodies.

As soon as she entered, someone hands her a red cup, and with a good-natured pat on the back shouts, "Get fucked up, baby!"

 _I'll keep that in mind,_ she thinks with a tiny smile.

The loft is even more impressive on the inside. Wide and spacious with marble floors, plentiful expensive furniture, and a massive television complete with surround sound and numerous gaming consoles.

There's a grey spiral staircase in the corner leading to a second floor that resembled a balcony. A doorway is located in the very back, probably leading to the bedrooms.

"Damn, you actually came."

Shizuru spins around and comes face to face with the host of the party, Natsuki. She's wearing a dark leather jacket over a plain white shirt, another pair of tight ripped jeans, and a pair of Concords. She's got a cup in her hand and a smirk on her lips.

"I was invited." Shizuru replies smoothly.

"I know, but I didn't think parties were your scene." Natsuki says as she takes Shizuru's cup and gives it a curious sniff. "Yuck, I hate this fruity stuff."

Shizuru chuckles. She hadn't even been drinking it. "Someone gave it to me when I walked in. What are you drinking?"

Natsuki leans against the wall. "Beats me. But it tastes like everything." she pauses, looking Shizuru up and down, taking in the fullness of her hips and thighs, and the way her skirt hugged her backside so deliciously.

"See something you like?" Shizuru teases, having caught Natsuki's wandering eyes.

"Oh yeah, just wondering if she's interested." Natsuki replies smoothly, but the tips of her ears glow red slightly.

Her flirtatious nature gets the better of her. She leans in closer to the slightly shorter woman. "Ara, she is _very_ interested."

She's known she was gay ever since she was young. She's flirted with women, even kissed some girls from the local college, but she has never been romantically involved with one. Natsuki blushes, a lovely sight to the older girl. She laughs softly, nervously. "Well, what're we waiting for? Let's party!"

"YO!" Natsuki calls over the roar of the music, gathering the attention of the entire party. They paused, looking at her expectantly. "It's going down for real!"

"Fuck yeah!" Nao's voice erupts from the throng of people and the party atmosphere and music comes back full force.

Natsuki grabs Shizuru hand and leads her to the kitchen where a group of older women are gathered around a small table with about fifteen red cups spread out on each end in triangle formation. "Beer pong," Natsuki whispers in her ear, "shoot the little ball in the cup and the other person drinks! First to hurl loses. You game?"

Feeling her heart pound with excitement, Shizuru responds, "Yes!"

"Let's see what you got, sweetcheeks." The older woman says, smirking while her friends lean against the counter to watch. She tosses Shizuru the ball. "Ladies first."

Shizuru has always been a quick learner. She's practically a pro when the third round comes. She's hot, her bangs stuck to her sweaty forehead, her vision blurred from the alcohol consumption. She giggles into Natsuki's equally sweaty neck, strands of dark hair sticking to her lips.

Her hands are dangerously low, gliding over the waistband of Shizuru's skirt. Shizuru's breasts are pressed into Natsuki's shoulder as she whispers drunken tactics into Natsuki's red-tipped ears. When the fifth rounds comes, the older woman waves the white flag, clutching her abdomen as she stumbles away from the table, her friends in tow.

Natsuki leans against the table, pulling Shizuru in between her legs and resting her hands on her hips. She pushes Shizuru's bangs away from her face, giggling at the girl's flushed cheeks and glossy eyes.

She's absolutely wasted. Nothing is louder than the sound of her heartbeat in her ears and the feeling of arousal as Natsuki places drunken kisses on the column of her throat. She can't remember who kissed who, but somehow it happened.

Natsuki's lips are so soft, and taste of weed and mixed drinks. She places her hands on either side of Natsuki's face, biting and sucking on her bottom lip as she slowly sways to the beat. She licks her way along her lip, gently asking for entrance which is immediately granted.

It was then she discovered Natsuki's tongue piercing. Its cold ball and her hot mouth are the perfect match. "Let's go somewhere else," Shizuru whispers, "I want you all to myself."

"Yes, ma'am," Natsuki says against her lips and grabs her hand, leading her up the spiral staircase. They both miss the knowing smirk Nao flashes them as they pass by, and the jealous glare of a teal-haired woman.

...

Shizuru moans as she pressed against the door of Natsuki's bedroom. Her hands tangle in long, dark-hair as teeth and tongues clash with heat and ferocity of drunken passion. She slides Natsuki's jacket off of her shoulders, clawing at her back as Natsuki places a strong thigh between her legs.

Natsuki pauses briefly and leads her over to the bed, falling onto the soft mattress and pulling Shizuru on top of her. Breasts are pressed tightly together as Shizuru pins Natsuki's wrists above her head.

"You are so fucking sexy," Natsuki whispers against her lips.

Shizuru smirks and releases her captive's wrists in favor of using her hands to lift her shirt over her head and flung it carelessly to the side.

Natsuki lets out a low, impressed whistle as Shizuru's full breasts hover inches away from her face. "Damn, baby, show me everything."

Shizuru yelps in surprise as Natsuki uses her superior strength to reverse their positions. Natsuki doesn't break eye contact as she makes a show of removing her own shirt. Shizuru gasps as she feels a growing wetness between her legs upon seeing Natsuki's toned upper body.

She's full-breasted, toned, and her chest, shoulders, and arms are covered in tattoos.

"See something you like?" Natsuki smirks against the skin of her neck.

Shizuru bites her lip as Natsuki rids her of skirt, leaving her in only a lacy bra and panties.

"You do know about me right?" Natsuki asks.

Shizuru tilts her head to the side. "Know what?"

Natsuki chuckles and takes her hand, pressing it firmly against her groin. Shizuru gasps as she feels a throbbing hardness through Natsuki's jeans.

So, the rumors are true, she thinks to herself.

She pulls Natsuki's face closer to her own by her hair and whispers, "Natsuki, please, touch me."

Natsuki's heart skips a beat as she allows Shizuru's slender fingers to loosen her belt. She teases her, her hands dipping into the waistband of her pants, past her boxers. Her fingers glide along her length, slowly, gently, as if she's familiarizing herself with it.

Natsuki moans against her lips, her own fingers disappear in between the apex of Shizuru's thighs. She's impossibly wet, and Natsuki's fingers have a difficult time finding traction on her flawless pale skin.

Shizuru's bra is lost among the rapidly growing sea of clothes. Natsuki dips her head low, her tongue darting out to fondle her nipple. Shizuru gasps as she continues to stroke Natsuki through her genes. A part of her is screaming for her to stop; to tell Natsuki to slow down, and that she's never done this before.

But another part of her is lost in the pleasure. Her body is on _fire._

Natsuki's kisses have her heart pulsating in her chest, her mind in a frenzy. She has never felt so alive. Natsuki lifts her up by her hips, sliding her panties down her thighs in one fluid motion. They too are lost amongst the sea of abandoned clothes.

When Natsuki's tongue first presses against her womanhood, she cries out. Strong hands strain to keep her hips still. Her tongue flicks up, down, left and right, alternating between harsh, meaningful strokes and half-hearted teases.

Natsuki's darkened eyes open briefly to lock with hers as that skilled tongue of hers continues its erotic ministrations against her heated flesh. She's held captive by that gaze, that beautiful, hazy, animalistic gaze.

Her abdomen tightens, heat pools in her body and she reaches out to fist her hand in Natsuki's sex-tousled dark hair. "Natsuki!" she moans out as a foreign force wreaks havoc throughout her nervous system.

She throws her head back as a drop of sweat rolls down her chin. Natsuki watches, enraptured, as the liquid rolls down her neck and disappears in between the valley of her breasts. When Shizuru catches her breath, Natsuki leans over and presses their lips together.

She can taste herself on Natsuki's lips, and it only serves to make her even wetter.

Natsuki retreats momentarily to rid herself of her jeans and boxers, smirking when Shizuru's eyes stare unblinkingly at her groin. She grabs the older girl by her hips and drags her across the bed, pulling their bodies flush together.

Shizuru is about to get on her knees and return the favor, but Natsuki stops her before she can, seeing the intent in her dark gaze. "I need to be inside of you."

Shizuru clit throbs even harder.

She nods as Natsuki crawls on top of her. Her length presses against her sensitive hood and she bites her lip, spreading her legs even wider. Natsuki runs the tip up and down her slick flesh a few times, coating herself in her wetness.

Her hazy mind struggles to remember one important detail, but after a few seconds of trying to figure out what it is to no avail, she abandons the thought entirely.

The first few inches are hell for Shizuru, but she hides it behind a well constructed mask.

Natsuki takes her time, giving the girl the opportunity to adjust to her girth. She's not a monster by any means, but she takes pride in her above average length and thickness. She buries her face into Shizuru's neck, placing soft, heated kisses against her burning flesh.

"You okay?" she breathes.

Shizuru claws at her back and it only serves to turn her on even further. The brunette nods after a few moments. "Please, just go slow."

Natsuki gently pumps her hips, slowly at first like the older girl requested, but as Shizuru's pained noises turn into ones of pleasure, she gradually speeds up. The sound of skin slapping against skin is deafening, even over the roar of the music below.

Shizuru is making all sorts of sexy, erotic noises and Natsuki tries not to come before hand. Shizuru is wet and tight and moist and just utterly beautiful. She likes the way her face scrunches up when she hits a particular spot, and the way those gorgeous lips are clamped between pearly white teeth.

Her fingers leave bloody trails along the skin of her back, but she finds that she doesn't care; tattoos be damned.

Suddenly, Shizuru finds herself on her hands on knees as Natsuki continues to take her from behind. The new position allows for deeper penetration. She whimpers, burying her face into the soft blankets on Natsuki's bed.

Her abdomen coils again and she knows that she won't last long.

Determined to not let Natsuki completely dominate her in bed, she uses her martial arts training to reverse their positions once again. She forces Natsuki onto her back and crawls on top of her, her long pale hair fanning out over her face. She runs her manicured nails over the plane of her abdomen as she bounces on her length, her breasts rising and falling with every single thrust.

Natsuki's hips rise to meet hers every single time until they've developed a steady rhythm. As her climax approaches, she leans down to brush her lips against Natsuki's one last time. She comes all over Natsuki's length, coating it and her thighs with her sweet juices.

Natsuki comes soon after, filling her with her hot seed until she's absolutely _full a_ nd the excess semen dribbles down her thighs. She collapses against Natsuki's chest, both of them breathing hazardously.

"Well… aren't you just… full of surprises." Natsuki pants out.

Shizuru smirks. All the blood immediately rushes back to Natsuki's groin. She's up before she can even catch her breath. "Well, would you look at that."

Shizuru slithers down her chest with a seductive twinkle in her eye. "Come Nat-su-ki, make me bend in ways I never knew I could."

Green eyes darken at the challenge.

"I'll make sure everyone here knows you know my name."

...

 _Oh, boy. Just a little teaser of what's to come. This scene was actually really difficult to write for some reason. I'm sure I can do better during the upcoming chapters. Thank you for all your support, don't forget to leave some feedback!_


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** The ending of the last chapter just didn't sit right with me. I've been thinking about it for the past fourteen hours. I've decided to rewrite the second half. I was anxious to update and that reason alone clouded my judgement.

Feel free to skip through or re-read this chapter. It begins roughly after Shizuru's father reprimanded her for neglecting her duties.

Hope this one's better.

* * *

 _"Good girls are just bad girls that haven't been caught."_

 _"Bad Girls,"~ A.N_

 _"Live fast, die young bad girls do it well."_

 _"Bad Girls," ~ MIA_

 _"Get back, get down, pull me closer if you think you can hang. Hands up, hands down, don't go screaming if I blow you with a bang."_

 _"Bad Girls," ~ MIA_

* * *

CHAPTER 4 RE-WRITE

Natsuki looks up from her game as something clanks against her window. She blinks, wondering if it was just her imagination. Apparently not because soon after she returns her attention to the television it happens again.

She's a little freaked out because it's dark and she's been playing Dead Space for the last three and a half hours. She sets her controller on the nightstand and removes her headset. She keeps her game volume relatively low when she uses her headset, the result of a natural fear of not being able to hear and distinguish sounds around her.

She's had too many episodes of her childish father and a mischievous Nao sneaking up on her when she was at her most vulnerable.

Another object clanks against her window and she begins to suspect that it isn't just some random branch at the mercy of the midnight breeze. She reaches under a pile of clothes and extracts a steel baseball bat, swinging around for good measure and warily striding over to the window.

 _What would a bat do to a necromorph?_ She thinks bitterly as she presses her face against the glass and peers out of the window. _Probably not a goddamn thing._

A lone figure sporting a familiar head of pale, strawberry-blonde locks stands in the shadow of the cherry blossom tree near her window.

 _Shizuru? What's she doing here this late?_

Natsuki tosses the bat off to the side and yanks open the window. She sticks her head out, leaning over the edge of the window seal. "Shizuru?"

The figure emerges from the shadows in a motion that reminds Natsuki of a serpent. Her crimson eyes seem to twinkle even in the darkness of night. "Ara, hello Natsuki."

A smile tugs at the corners of Natsuki's lips. "What are you doing here so late? Isn't it past your bedtime, princess?"

"Ara, Natsuki made an offer the other night. Did Natsuki forget?" Shizuru replies in that alluring, silken accent of hers.

"Oh, I remember. I just didn't peg you for the sneaky type. Guess I should stop pegging you, huh?"

"Does Natsuki plan on sneaking me inside? It is rather cold..."

Natsuki smirks and lays her chin on her palm. She tilts her head to the side, allowing long strands of onyx hair fall over her shoulder. She combs her fingers through it. "I don't think my hair's long enough for that. Just meet me at the front door. It's the less cool way but hey."

"Ara? Won't Natsuki's parents be angry that she is sneaking girls inside their home so late?" Shizuru raises an eyebrow.

"Please, my dad would probably throw me a party if she found out. She thinks I'm a prude. Besides, it's just you."

"Ara, what I am secretly a vampire waiting for you to open the door so that I may sink my teeth into your neck?" Shizuru says playfully.

Natsuki snorts. "With eyes like that it wouldn't be hard to believe. But I'm pretty sure I can take you. Hold on a sec."

Natsuki disappears from the window in a flash of dark hair and agile limbs. Shizuru half expects her to come vaulting from the window, but fortunately she doesn't. It only takes a moment for the front door to unlocked and swung open.

However, it isn't Natsuki who answers the door. It's the petite red-head with the sweet-tooth from the convenience store. She smirks and looks Shizuru up and down.

"What's the Kaichou doing at a troublemaker's house so late at night?" She taps her finger against her chin, feigning thought. Shizuru doesn't answer but she doesn't need to because the girl eventually steps aside and beckons the girl inside. "Watch your feet, we have a _dog._ "

"Damn it, Nao," Natsuki's voice wafts from the top of the staircase, "I thought I told you to kick rocks."

Nao rolls her eyes and sticks out her hand. "Zhang Nao."

"Viola Shizuru." Shizuru is about to shake the younger girl's hand but Natsuki practically leaps over the railing of the staircase and slaps Nao's hand away.

"Don't do it, Shiz, she's a _thief_." Natsuki growls as she takes Shizuru's wrist and makes sure the golden bracelet she always wears is still in place.

Nao rolls her eyes and backs away. She opens her mouth to say something but is interrupted by the sound of someone running through the hallway. Natsuki's father appears on the top of the balcony.

"Is that my pizza?" she asks, her voice hopeful.

"Who the hell orders _pizza_ at twelve o'clock in the morning?" Nao asks.

Regan sighs as she begins her walk of shame down the staircase and comes to a stop in front of her daughter and her friends. She eyes Shizuru weirdly. "Have we met before?"

Shizuru studies the woman before her. She certainly is Natsuki's father. Those eyes don't lie. Her hair is just as long and gorgeous as Natsuki's. "Ara, I don't think we have."

"Hm." Regan slaps her daughter upside her head. "It's common courtesy to introduce house guests to the _owner_ of the house. Especially when you try to _sneak_ them in."

Natsuki rubs the back of her head with an irritated glare. "Yeah, I tried to sneak her in through the _front door._ Seriously dad, how stupid do you think I am?"

" _Very_ stupid." Nao interjects.

Shizuru clears her throat and offers the older woman a finely manicured hand. "Viola Shizuru. It is a pleasure to meet you. I apologize for such a late intrusion."

The woman takes her hand and flashes her dazzling dimpled grin. "Regan. Finally Natsuki brings home a girl with manners. Don't even worry about it, sweetheart, make yourself at home like _this_ one has." She finishes with a nod in Nao's direction.

"Ara, does Natsuki bring girls home often?" Shizuru teases, watching as Natsuki's head whips back and forth.

Regan snorts. "I _wish._ She never introduces me to anyone. I was beginning to think she didn't even like girls."

"As if the mutt could pull a man." Nao says.

"I doubt that. Isn't there a fanclub dedicated to her led by that prickly motherfucker with the scar on his face?" Regan asks her daughter.

 _Ara?_

"NO! We are NOT having this conversation right now!" Natsuki shouts as she grabs Shizuru's hand and begins to lead her up the familiar staircase.

Regan pouts as she rests her elbow on Nao's head, using her as a makeshift resting post. "Hey Shizuru, why don't you stay for dinner sometime? I would love to get to know you."

"Dinner? You say that like you actually cook dinner…" Nao yelps as Regan pinches her cheek.

Shizuru smiles and nods much to Natsuki's dismay. "I would love to."

 _A bat might not work on a necromorph but it will certainly work on people…_

Natsuki leads her to the bedroom and shuts the door behind her, making sure to lock it, and even going as far as to barricade it with shoes boxes to prevent her pesky family from interrupting them. She flops on the bed and beckons Shizuru over.

"Trouble in paradise?" Natsuki asks after a moment. Shizuru doesn't reply but the answer is evident in her troubled gaze. "Wanna talk about it?"

"No. I came here to escape it." Shizuru replies softly.

Natsuki rolls her eyes playfully. "And here I thought it was to keep little old me company."

The usually impassive and stoic young woman leans over to brush her lips across Shizuru's, who is caught completely off-guard and blushes furiously, a wonderful sight to the younger girl.

"Is this okay?" Natsuki asks as she tries not to tuck errant locks of golden hair behind Shizuru's ear, unwilling to believe she would do such a cliche thing.

"Yes." is her breathless reply.

Natsuki's lips glide softly across hers as they resume their intimate dance. Shizuru can't help but lose herself in their kiss, tangling her hands in Natsuki's too-die-for dark locks.

Natsuki pulls back slightly, gazing deep into her eyes. "I meant it when I said you could come over whenever you want. It doesn't matter how early or late it is. We can do whatever you want. Within reason."

Shizuru swallows down the rush of emotions she feels trying to break loose and nods. "Ara, within reason?"

"Yeah, there's a few things that I will absolutely not do." Natsuki says as she leans back against her pillows and picks up her controller.

Shizuru cuddles up beside her. "Like?"

"I will not watch corny romances or chick-flicks. I won't be nice to Nao. I won't, I mean I absolutely won't allow Suzushiro anywhere near my house, nor will I stop calling Kanzaki fruity in my head." Natsuki replies as she unpauses the game.

 _Ara, she knows?_

"Fruity?"

Natsuki nods. "Yep, no _straight_ man is that obsessed with big sweaty men running and jumping on each other. _And_ they slap each other on the ass after games? Oh yeah, hella fruity. But don't worry, I won't say anything." she winks.

"Ara, and why does everyone dislike Haruka-san. She's not that bad." Shizuru lamely tries to defend her fellow Student Council member.

"Are you kidding me? She's worse than Tomoe when it comes to sticks up their asses. She gave me a thirty minute detention for walking too slow in the hallway, claiming I was _disturbing the peace."_ Natsuki snorts as she furiously tries to assassinate a necromorph demon baby.

Shizuru winces as she stares at the screen, wondering how someone could design such a horrible video game. "Ara, maybe Natsuki should walk faster."

"And be a nerd by being early to class? No thanks, that'll ruin my image."

Shizuru playfully slaps her on the arm. "I'm early to class everyday. Is Natsuki trying to say I'm a nerd?"

Natsuki flashes her a wide, wolfish grin. "Hell yeah."

Natsuki suddenly finds herself on her back with a smug looking brunette pinning her down.

"Ara, maybe I should teach Natsuki a thing or two." She whispers.

Natsuki bites her lip. "I'm open to new things." They ignore Isaac's shrieks as the necromorph demon baby and its homies shred him to pieces.

Just as Natsuki's hands disappear under Shizuru's sweater, there's a hard knock on the door.

"Hey, keep it PG!" Her father shouts from the other side. "I want her back over here!"

Natsuki groans as Shizuru giggles and rolls of to the side. She lays her head on Natsuki's chest, happy for the opportunity to be this close to Fuuka High's resident Ice Princess.

"We can watch a movie instead." Shizuru suggests.

"Okay, but remember the rules. No corny romances or chick-flicks." Natsuki says as she dashboards her game and selects Netflix.

They end up watching _the White Haired Witch of the Lunar Kingdom_.

...

Over the next few days Shizuru and Natsuki grow closer and closer. Shizuru sneaks out every night to meet the younger girl, who sits on the edge of the window seal waiting for her arrival. Reito, overjoyed about his closest friend's opportunity to live a little, makes it his mission to make sure that Shizuru and Natsuki are together as much as possible.

He frequently takes Shizuru on 'dates,' much to her father's pleasure. Although these 'dates' are actually visits to Natsuki's house or just hanging out around the town. It also helps that Tate has taken quite a liking to the dark-haired man.

It's been about a week and a half since the party and Shizuru along with Natsuki, Reito, and Tate are sitting in one of the local diners about a block and a half from the school. Tate is blabbering on and on about American football while Reito listens intently.

Or rather stares at his lips.

"You guys make a wonderful couple," Reito breaks his gaze away from his future husband's lips to coo at the girls sitting across from them.

Shizuru is cuddled beneath Natsuki's arm, sipping a milkshake and listening to the story about the time Natsuki's father had forgotten her in a parking lot. She flashes him a shy smile. "Ara, we do don't we?"

Natsuki feels her cheeks involuntarily heat up.

"Hell yeah!" Tate says around a mouthful of pancakes. "It's like something out of a fairy tale, yo. The beautiful princess and the no good dirty rotten pig-stealing two-bit hustler."

Natsuki's eye twitches. "How touching."

Shizuru sits up suddenly, her gentle features morphing into a pained grimace. Natsuki glances at her. "You okay?"

"I need to use the restroom, pardon me." Shizuru replies rather quickly as Natsuki shuffles out of the booth to allow her to leave. When Shizuru disappears into the Ladies' room, Natsuki fixes Tate with a mocking glare.

"Damn Tate, look at what looking at your ugly mug has gone and done."

Someone kicks her under the table and she growls at Tate, who raises his hands up in denial and shakes his head. Reito sips his tea.

In the restroom, Shizuru leans over the toilet, vomiting up everything she's just eaten.

"Hey, you alright, hon?" A concerned individual's voice calls over the harsh retching.

Catching her breath and trying not to gag at the horrid taste in her mouth, Shizuru grabs a piece of tissue and dabs at her lips. "Yes, thank you for your concern."

"Alright then." The woman's footsteps disappear after a few seconds.

Feeling slightly better after one more heave, Shizuru flushes the toilet with her heel and walks over to the sink to wash her hands and rinse out her mouth. Surprisingly, the diner has a small, half-empty tube of mouthwash located in the center of the sink.

She swishes it around in her mouth for an entire minute trying to rid herself of that god awful taste and spits in the nearby trashcan. She looks at herself in the mirror trying to asses the damage. The only indication of her heartfull vomiting is a pair of watery eyes and a subtle flush on her cheeks.

 _Ara, that was… unpleasant. Perhaps I overindulged a little._

She washes her hands and dries them before exiting the restroom and making her way back over to the table where her friends are arguing with each other. "Ara, I can't even leave for a moment without you all going at each other's throats."

"He started it," Natsuki grumbles childishly, pointing an accusing finger in Tate's direction.

"Me? _You're_ the one who keeps trying to play footsie with _me_ under the table!"

Reito continues to sip his tea as Shizuru cuddles back into Natsuki's side.

"As if I would ever play footsie with you! Well, your _face_ maybe, not other than that hell no!" Natsuki replies as she wraps her arm back around Shizuru's shoulder. As Tate struggles to find a suitable comeback, Natsuki leans over to whisper, "Is everything alright? Does your chest hurt?"

"Ara, my chest?" Shizuru asks with a raised brow.

"Yeah, you've been rubbing your chest all morning." Natsuki informs her, hoping Shizuru won't ask her why she's been paying so much attention to her chest.

"I have?"

Natsuki nods.

"Hm, I hadn't even been aware I'd been doing so. Perhaps Natsuki was too rough with me last night…" Shizuru teases.

Natsuki coughs and chokes on her own milkshake, drawing concerned looks from employees and other customers. "I didn't- we didn't- you- me- cuddled- GAH!"

Tate nearly does a spit take. "Whoa no way, Natsuki, you cuddle?"

"Natsuki is the best cuddler."

"Wow, I'd have never guessed that!"

Natsuki slams her head against the table with a groan. Shizuru giggles and rubs her back soothingly.

...

Over the next few days, Shizuru begins to feel worse and worse. If Natsuki had thought she'd been rubbing her chest alot before, she was certainly doing it now. She's at Natsuki's house once more and she's just returned to the bedroom after her fifth trip to the restroom.

"Damn girl," Natsuki teases as Shizuru lays back on her chest, "You need to seriously lay off the liquids. Save some for the children."

"Ara, I'm sorry Natsuki, I don't know what's wrong with me." Shizuru admits tiredly. That's another thing that's been plaguing her. Fatigue seems to stick to her no matter what she does or how long she sleeps. She always ends up tired one way or another.

"It's cool, just try not to drool on me, okay?" Natsuki says as she brushes her lips across the crown of Shizuru's head. "Shizuru?" she questions when the older girl doesn't reply.

She chuckles when she realizes the brunette has fallen asleep against her chest, her fingers clutching the fabric of her shirt for dear life.

...

Shizuru frowns as she checks her calendar for what seemed like the thousandth time. She must've done the math wrong because it says that she should've gotten her period _eight_ days ago.

Something isn't right, she thinks as she sucks on a popsicle stick, a rare occurrence for her. She tends to stay away from sweets, but she's been craving one for sometime now. She made Reito go out and buy an entire box of the things, and is responsible for the sudden disappearance of them in the Kruger household.

"Watcha doin', Shiz?" Reito says as he barges into her room unannounced and flings himself onto her king-sized bed. "Oh, can I have one?"

Shizuru absentmindedly hands him the one she'd been eating. He sighs as he takes it, wishing it were from his future husband instead.

"Do you remember the last time I had my period?" Shizuru asks him without turning around. She cocks her hand on her hip, which by way, has seemingly grown in size.

Reito removes the popsicle from his mouth with an exaggerated 'pop'. "October 10th." He's her best-friend, he knows these kinds of things.

Shizuru's heart freezes. October tenth was a month ago. Today is _November eighteenth._ She should've gotten her period around _November ninth._ She rubs her over sensitive breasts without realizing it. Reito does, however.

"You've been doing that a lot." Reito says as he tosses the popsicle stick in the trashcan.

Shizuru doesn't acknowledge him as fear and anxiety begin to creep in. She runs a hand through her long, pale hair as she begins to pace, weighing possibilities.

 _No… no… this can't be,_ she thinks. _There has to be some mistake! I can't be… I…_

"Reito." she whispers.

"Hmm?" the boy answers, his brows rising when he notices the lack of _'ara'_ in her dialogue.

"I need to ask a favor of you, but I need you to stay as calm as you can." Shizuru whispers as she crosses the room and takes his larger hand in hers.

"Of course."

Shizuru takes a deep breath and stares deep into her best-friend's dazzling golden eyes. "I need you to buy me a pregnancy test."

...

Reito pulls into the first available parking space he sees and leaps out of the convertible. The convenient store is still open and crawling with lowlifes, individuals who work the graveyard shifts, bums, weirdos, and potential rapists.

With his heart thundering in his chest and his palms sweating profusely, he barges into the store, drawing weird looks from its workers and occupants. He scurries over to the isle labeled 'self care'. His golden eyes dart back and forth, to and fro as he searches for the object of his desire.

 _Which one do I get?_ He whines when he finally locates them. _There are at least four different kinds!_

Not bothering to waste anymore time deciding, he shoves all of them into the crook of his arm and sprints back to the counter. Shizuru's father will be home soon and it isn't in his best interest to be caught carrying a boatload of pregnancy tests.

The cashier looks at him sympathetically and opens his mouth to offer his opinion, but Reito silences him with a glare. "Don't. Say. A. Word."

"S-sorry!"

He hurriedly shoves the tests into a bag and practically shoves them into Reito's waiting arms. Reito flashes him one more menacing glare and jogs back to his Lexis.

When he gets back to the mansion, Shizuru is completely flustered. She sighs in relief when he comes back through the door and closes it behind him.

"Hey, I couldn't decide which one to get so I just got all four." Reito says as he locks the door and gives the items to the flustered young woman.

"Arigato," Shizuru replies with a small smile and disappears into the bathroom.

She takes out the first one and reads the directions carefully.

 _All I have to do is pee on it?_

She sighs as she crosses over to the toilet and pulls down her underwear. It takes a few moments to do so because she's scared and shaking and praying that this is all just some twisted misunderstanding. She can't be pregnant.

Her entire life as well as her possible child's would be put on the line. And her _father, oh god_ , she doesn't even want to think of what he might do if he ever found out that she was pregnant and not by _Reito._

The cursed thing beeps, startling her from her thoughts, and her eyes fill with tears.

 _No, no, no please!_

She tries all four, convincing herself that it's just a fluke, a cruel fluke. She does every single one and glares at each result as if doing so will change the outcome.

She falls to her knees with a strangled sob, tears pouring from her horrified crimson depths. No matter how much she denied it, no matter how she wished it weren't true, Shizuru Viola is pregnant and there is no going back.

She's gathered into familiar arms and she buries her face into Reito's chest. He doesn't need to ask for the results. It's written all over her face.

"Shizuru," he whispers, pushing her back so that he may see that beautiful, tear-stained face of hers. "Do you know who the father is?"

Shizuru nods, gasping for the breath she'd lost when the shock hit her. She knows who the father is. She knew the second she found out she was pregnant. She's only slept with one person in her lifetime.

"Natsuki," she chokes out, "The baby is Natsuki's."

...

 _Hope this one is better!_


	5. Chapter 5

_"You had to have it all! Well have you had enough? You greedy little bastard you will get what you deserve! When all is said and done, I will be the one! To leave you in your misery and hate what you've become!"_

 _"Had Enough," ~ Breaking Benjamin_

* * *

 _V_

Shizuru wept until her eyes were swollen and bloodshot.

Her head throbbed in the place of her heart, which had seemingly grown numb. Reito pulled back from their embrace only slightly to swipe his thumbs beneath her eyelids and clear away the dark tear tracks on her cheeks. Her mascara was no match for the sudden onslaught of emotions.

In all honesty, Reito had surmised the identity of the father as soon as it had been revealed that Shizuru was pregnant. He just wanted confirmation from Shizuru herself.

"I see." He whispered, reaching into his pocket and extracting a small square of finely woven material. Gently, he pressed the handkerchief against Shizuru's flushed skin and began to clean the smudged makeup caked around her eyes.

"I don't know what to do." Shizuru croaked out.

"Well, the first thing you have to figure out is whether you're keeping it or not." Reito said as softly as he could. "And if you plan on telling Natsuki."

Deep red eyes slowly drifted to molten gold. Her heart clenched once more, vaguely reassuring her of its presence. Shizuru felt as though she was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

She had heard stories about abortion. It was a worldwide controversy, but she had never given the idea much thought. She didn't have to, but now the decision weighed heavy on her frail shoulders.

Natsuki had a right to know. The baby was hers after all. What if Natsuki freaked out and urged her to follow through with the abortion? What if she wanted nothing to do with Shizuru anymore or the baby? What if she disappeared and left them behind?

 _Natsuki would never do such a thing._

Her father would probably try and force her to have the abortion if he found out or she told him, especially considering the fact that the baby wasn't Reito's. He would then realize that Shizuru had been lying to him about all of those dates with Reito and meetings at school.

She placed her hand on her belly, and smiled slightly despite her dire situation.

A little being was growing inside of her, a little being that would continue to grow for nine long months. Her little being, Natsuki's little being, _their_ little being.

"If it makes you feel any better, I've always wanted to be an uncle." Reito couldn't help but throw in when he witnessed the small, subtle smile.

Shizuru pushed his shoulder.

If she got the abortion everything would be okay. Her father would never know. Natsuki would never know. She could get on with her life without the troubles of raising a child.

But she couldn't bring herself to make the decision alone.

What if Natsuki found out? What if she hated her afterward? But what if she decided to keep it, and Natsuki was determined to help her raise it? She glanced at her closest friend. His handsome, chiseled features are set in an unreadable expression.

But she could see the overwhelming love and support in his brilliant amber eyes. He would support her no matter what, and she believed Natsuki would do the same.

"I have to tell her first," Shizuru whispered as she allowed herself to be pulled to her feet.

"I knew you would," He smiled faintly before his features grew grave, "But what will tell your father?"

"He will be furious." Shizuru replied. "But I must."

"That's a big risk. What if he throws you out? Or hurts you or the baby? You know how cruel he can be." Reito said.

She made sure to properly dispose of the tests before leaving the safety of the bathroom. She sat on the edge of the bed and Reito kneeled before her.

"I am aware of the consequences, Reito. But just like Natsuki, he has a right to know. He's my father. And whether I like it or not this is his grandchild. He may be lenient." Shizuru knew the end of her little speech was probably a lie, but could her strict father be cruel enough to cast his young, pregnant daughter out on the streets?

"Tell him it's mine," Reito barked, his eyes growing moist at the thought of his best friend being out alone on the streets. "Tell him I forced myself upon you."

Shizuru shook her head and reached out to stroke his cheek, her gentle fingers sliding along his stubble in a smooth, apologetic manner.

"I would never do such a thing. Not to you and not to Natsuki. This baby is rightfully hers and lying about it would do more harm than good. Reito, you're sweet and kind and beautiful inside and out, doing such a thing is simply not in your nature."

"But…"

A finger fell over his lips. "Everything will be alright."

He nodded silently and she removed her finger from his lips and gave him a tight hug. The words fell from her lips so easily.

But did she truly believe them herself?

...

Unfortunately for most, break eventually came to an end.

On the night before school would resume the following morning, Natsuki was sitting on her bed, playing Dying Light and sipping a bottle of beer. Her eyes occasionally flicked down to the phone in her lap. Shizuru had texted her two days ago claiming she wasn't feeling well and couldn't sneak over.

Natsuki had been grumpy for an entire forty-eight hours.

Nao thought it was hilarious. Her father thought it was adorable and teased her to no end about it. Chie kept begging for details of their sexual encounter after witnessing them leaving the party together. Tate was spending an extraordinary amount of time with Reito.

Mai kept insisting Natsuki ask her out. Natsuki would always blush and tell her she was working on it.

Her phone buzzed and she immediately threw down the controller. Crane was left standing in the middle of the street swarming with infected.

 _Shizuru_

 _Natsuki, I have to talk to you as soon as possible. Will you meet me in the second floor restroom during lunch tomorrow?_

Natsuki raised an eyebrow. What if Shizuru was planning on asking her out when she had already been planning to ask Shizuru out?

 _Natsuki_

 _Sure, is everything okay? You feeling better?_

"Natsuki, you can eat if you want. I went to Chang's and got your favorite." Her father said from the other side of the door.

"Okay, thanks." She replied absently.

"Is Shizuru in there? If so, I bought enough for her too!"

Natsuki blushed furiously and tossed a pillow at the door. "No dad, Shizuru is _not_ here!"

Her father chuckled. "That explains why you've had the stick up your ass for the last two days. Just get married and have kids why don't you?"

"Dad!"

"Alright, alright I'm going. But seriously, wrap it up, Natsuki. She's a pretty girl and I'm sure your kids would be gorgeous, but not at sixteen, alright?"

"..."

Her father chuckled and disappeared down the hall. She rubbed her temples tiredly and saw she had a new text from Shizuru.

 _Shizuru_

 _Ara, Natsuki is worried about me? How sweet!_

 _Yeah, she's alright,_ Natsuki thought as she waited for the typing bubbles to disappear.

 _Shizuru_

 _I must go, but I will speak to you tomorrow. Good-night, Nat-su-ki._

Natsuki smiled softly.

 _Natsuki_

 _Good-night, Shizuru._

Natsuki tossed her phone onto the table and resumed her game, an everlasting smile on her lips.

...

"Are you sure you want to do this so soon?"

Shizuru's fingers glided over Natsuki's name in her phone. She looked up at Reito, who was staring back at her with those molten amber eyes of his. It's been two days since she discovered that she was pregnant with Natsuki's child, and she had made the decision to inform her father only moments ago.

"I have to, Reito," She replied softly, "Sooner or later I will get bigger and it will be impossible to hide."

Reito tilted his head to the side. "Does that mean you're keeping it?"

Though he tried to hide it, Shizuru could detect the hopeful undertone in his voice. She nodded very slightly. She had thought long and hard about during the past forty-eight hours. She couldn't bring herself to go through with an abortion. She was willing to keep her baby and endure all of the hardships that were sure to come with it.

Reito smiled as he reached out to squeeze her shoulder. "You know I will do everything in my power to assist you in any way possible."

She returned his smile. "I know."

He glanced at the clock and sighed apologetically. "I have to go now. Promise me that you will call me as soon as the conversation is over?"

He held out his pinkie.

"I promise." She linked hers with his.

With one last smile at his best friend, the young man disappeared into the darkness of the mansion. A moment later his car engine pierced the air. Another moment, and her rock was gone. She took a deep breath. She'd never felt so alone before.

Her heels clicked on the marble floors of the upper level. The gentle breeze slipping in through the window ruffled her hair. Her heart pounded in her chest. Her hands felt clammy and shook slightly.

Without the usual abundance of hired help littering the manor, the mansion was ghastly silent. She felt the need to look over her shoulder after every step. As she approached the massive double doors of her father's study, her nerves increased tenfold.

She felt the need to vomit but swallowed it back down. She took another deep breath and forced herself to raise her hand to knock on the door.

"Come in." Her father's clipped voice replied.

Shizuru pushed the doors open.

Her father was in his usual place standing before the window, gazing out into the distance. He wore a suit the color of dried blood. He turned to look at his only daughter, his crimson gaze unreadable.

"Is there a valid reason why you disturbed me at such an hour?" He asked.

"I must speak with you," Shizuru forced her voice not to shake, "It is rather urgent."

He sighed and returned to his chair. He folded his hands neatly upon a stack of documents and gave his daughter his utmost attention.

She faltered only slightly when she met his gaze, but she willed herself to remain calm both inside and out.

"I'm pregnant."

Silence. Complete. Unadulterated. Silence. He didn't even flinch. It was almost as if it were old news to him. He continued to stare and it made her feel as though he were staring right through her. His eyes fell to her belly, still sporting that burning gaze. She felt like he was trying to peer inside of her, trying to get a glimpse of the new life growing inside of her.

He leaned back in his chair and sighed after a moment or two. His left hand rises to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"I suppose it was expected considering all of the time you two have been spending together lately. Honestly though, I thought you'd be smart enough to take precautions when it came to it. Apparently not." He snorted in the most un-gentleman like manner.

Her heart sank.

Of course. He assumed the child was Reito's. It made sense. She could lie. She could ride his train of belief all the way down to the station. But it wasn't right. She could lie about many things, but she just couldn't bring herself to lie about the origins of her child's father. She shook her head, slowly, sadly, recklessly.

"Father," Her voice cracked only slightly, "The child isn't Reito's."

A lone tear fell down her cheek as he stiffened once more. His eyes were wide with shock and dark with barely contained fury. He rose very slowly, as if the action pained him. His loafers made no sound on the marble floors. He reached out and forced her to look him dead in the eye. She could see herself, anxious and fearful in his inhuman gaze.

"What. Did. You. Just. Say?" He demanded.

His grip was tight on her jaw. His thumbs pressed the soft flesh of her cheeks roughly against her teeth.

"The baby," She whispered painfully, "Is not Reito's."

The back of a scarred wrist caught the side of her face. She fell to the ground, skinning her knees on the harsh floor. She cradled her rapidly bruising cheekbone tenderly as he backed away and began to pace.

"Of all the foolish things you've done, this is by far the most climacteric! Do you have any idea what you've done? Do you have any idea what this scandal could do to my company?" He shouted, looking every bit near tears. His face was red, his veins protruding from his neck in an alarming manner.

"Everything I've ever worked for, foiled at the hands of a foolish, worthless teenager." He laughed humorously, running his hand through his blonde hair.

He paused as realization hit him. "All of those 'club meetings' were merely alibis! You were sneaking around with some insubordinate little fool. And now you are pregnant with a bastard's child. Oh, how they'll laugh at me."

He giggled uncharacteristically. "I will be the laughing stock of the entire coalition. There is no way the Kanzaki Heir will marry you now. This entire plan, in shambles because of you."

Shizuru shakily rose to her feet. She swallowed painfully, and opened her mouth to say something, but her father rounded on her before she could.

"Get rid of it," He whispered as he advanced on her. She flinched only slightly, and tried not to gawk in surprise when he fell to his knees, clutching her hands for dear life.

She stared down at him, unable to speak. Unable to breathe.

His adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "My daughter, grant your father this one wish. Please, get rid of it. Keeping it will only ruin your life. No one will ever know. The family name will be saved. Please, Shizuru."

She couldn't remember the last time he looked at her with so much emotion. Here was a man she barely knew. She'd never sat on his lap or shoulders. He'd never kissed her cheek and chased all of her nightmares away. Here was a man who had laid hands on her on many occasions prior to this one.

Here was a man who was begging her to kill her baby in order to save his company.

She snatched her hands away from his, retreating until her back hit the door. She was appalled. Appalled at his audacity to request such a thing.

"I…I…" She snapped her eyes shut.

"Shi-chan, do it for us. Do it for your mother." He whispered.

He had gone to far this time.

"I will not!" She shouted, her eyes flashing defiantly. "I will not sacrifice my child for the wellbeing of your fucking company! Go to hell."

She'd never cursed before that moment. Or told her father such a thing. Natsuki must be rubbing off on her. Her father's teary eyes morphed back into deadly pits of fire. His blood absolutely _boiled_ beneath his skin.

"Then you have turned your back on me! Get out of my sight, get out of my house. _Now_ , before I do something I will regret." He roared. "You are no longer my daughter. You are no longer a Viola."

With tears streaming down her face and thorns in her heart, the Viola Heiress fled from the room. The sound of breaking glass reverberated throughout the house followed by her father's roars of fury.

 _"Milk it for all its worth. Make sure you get there first. The apple of your eye, the rotten core inside."_

Shizuru returned to her room and threw open her closet, pulling out a bag and stuffing everything she could grab inside. Shirts, skirts, shoes. She retrieved a duffle bag from beneath her bag and began to load it with personal hygiene products such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotions, and perfume.

 _"We are all prisoners. Things couldn't get much worse. I've had it up to here. You know your end is near!"_

She shoved the picture of her and Reito into her bag and paused when she came across the one of her mother. Kaori Viola's deep brown eyes stared back at her shattered crimson ones. She let out another strangled sob as she took the picture and threw it to the ground.

 _"You had to have it all. Well have you had enough? You greedy little bastard you will get what you deserve!"_

The pieces shattered into a million tiny shards at her feet. She threw her school-bag over her shoulder, grabbed the other two, and fled the bedroom.

 _"When all is said and done. I will be the one, to leave you in your misery and hate what you've become!"_

She checked her wallet as she made her way to the front door. She had enough money to pay for a decent hotel for at least a week. She could get by on that until she figured out what she would do.

 _"Intoxicated eyes. No longer live that life. You should have learned by now. I'll burn this whole world down! I need some peace of mind. No fear of what's behind. You think you've won this fight. You've only lost your mind."_

The stars glittered in the night sky, the moon casting her eerie celestial glow on the world beneath her. Her eyes glided to the window where her father gazed out of all the time. He was there, watching her with hate-filled crimson eyes.

 _"You had to have it all. Well have you had enough? You greedy little bastard you will get what you deserve! When all is said and done. I will be the one…"_

With one last look at the devil in the window and the hell she grew up in, the former Viola Heiress fled into the night.

 _"To leave you in your misery and hate what you've become."_

...

Natsuki woke to sunlight beating down on her face and her father's back in her line of view. She groaned and rolled over to avoid the insistent light. Regan grinned sheepishly, barring her impossibly deep dimples with her mischievous smile.

"School's back in session, kid." She said, using her superior strength to drag her only child out of bed and lift her over her shoulder.

"Dad, put me down." Natsuki demanded as she clutched her torso for dear life. Regan would really drop her. She'd done it before, on a sleeping, unaware Nao.

"Are you going to get up?"

"Yes!"

"Are you going to be on time to school?"

"Yes!"

"Are you going to stay at school all day until the final bell rings?"

"Yes!"

"Are you going to admit that Shizuru has you wrapped around her little finger?"

"Yes!" Natsuki paused, flushing deeply. "No! I mean- Gah!"

Regan chuckled as she gently dropped the teenager on the floor. She pat the girl's head reassuringly. "It's okay, kid."

"Will you go make breakfast or something?" Natsuki demanded as she tried to get her blush under control. She was hot from the tips of her ears to the bottom of her toes.

Her father smiled. "Breakfast is already prepared. All you have to do is add milk. Now hurry up, you wouldn't want me to confiscate your bike again now would you?"

Natsuki shot to her feet and grabbed her towel before sprinting across the hall to the bathroom, slamming it behind her. With a fond chuckle, Regan moved down the hall to wake their resident freeloader.

Freshly showered and on time for once, Natsuki clambered down the stairs clad in a pair of Adidas joggers, a plain white T, and her favorite pair of fresh black vans. She grabbed her phone and her backpack from the living room couch. She'd fallen asleep down there the previous night and forgot to charge her phone when she got up to go to bed.

Hopefully Midori would let her charge it during first period.

She was preparing a packet of Ramen when a tired Nao and her bouncy, energetic father appeared. Regan strided over and kissed her on top of her head like she always did before leaving for work.

"I might be home a little late tonight," She said as she ruffled Nao's already ruffled hair, "There's money on the table for takeout. I love you guys."

"Bye, dad," Natsuki mumbled around a mouthful of ramen.

"Nngh." Nao replied, looking in the fridge for something suitable to eat.

Twenty minutes later they were walking through the crowded, animated halls of Fuuka High. Their friends were already leaning by their lockers. Chie was the first to see them. She waved them over.

"Man, everyone's still talking about the party!" Chie exclaimed as they began walking towards the A building where their first period was located.

"Foreal, I had like forty people ask if you were having another one anytime soon," Tate added as he fluffed up his hair. "If you are, I heard some Cardair students were going to come and see what you're all about."

Natsuki whistled as they entered the room and filled their seats. Cardair was one of the baddest schools in the nation, well known for its high drug use, street racing students, and over all ruthlessness. If Cardair students were interested in her parties, she figured she must be doing something right.

"Didn't someone get stabbed over there just the other day?" Mai said as she sat down and crossed her legs.

"Yeah, by a teacher I heard," Chie snickered. "For not raising his hand to ask a question."

Natsuki snorted as Midori shuffled in looking as tired and hungover as the majority of the students in the room. She just couldn't wait to see Shizuru again.

...

When lunch rolled around, Natsuki ditched her friends, claiming she had to use the restroom, which wasn't a _complete_ lie. She ignored the lovesick looks people were casting her as always and focused on the task at hand.

She entered the second floor bathroom and couldn't help but smile when she saw Shizuru leaning against the counter. She cleared her throat to make her presence known. Shizuru's head snapped up.

"Natsuki," She breathed as she crossed the room and wrapped her arms around Natsuki's neck, pulling their bodies flush together. Natsuki wrapped her arms tightly around her waist, trying to feign off the blush that was lurking beneath her skin.

She'd never blushed so much in her life, before she met Shizuru of course.

When Shizuru pulled back and Natsuki got a good look at her face, she frowned. Shizuru's eyes were swollen and slightly bloodshot. No amount of makeup could hide that. Her hand rose on its own accord and trailed across her cheek.

"You look like you've been crying." Natsuki said in a soft voice.

Shizuru smiled weakly. "I've had a rough few days. That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about."

Her crimson eyes slowly wandered around the bathroom, searching for any eavesdroppers. When she found none, she looked deep into Natsuki's beautiful green eyes, framed by long dark lashes. The gentle slope of her nose and the full curve of her lips were stunning.

She hoped her baby would look like Natsuki. She hoped it had her _eyes._

Her eyes were always so expressive, even when cold. She could see the strength in her gaze, her soul through those windowpanes. She suddenly knew, that without a single doubt, that Natsuki would make a wonderful father. Whether it was right now or in the future, though, was the question.

A tear escaped from her left eye. Natsuki caught it before it got far. "Shizuru?"

Shizuru bit her lip and whispered, "Natsuki, I'm pregnant."

"What?" Natsuki's brows furrowed as she took a step back, causing Shizuru's heart to jolt. The tawny-haired teen allowed more tears to fall.

"I'm pregnant," She choked out, "And it's _yours_ Natsuki, the baby is _yours."_

...


	6. Chapter 6

_..._

* * *

 _"If you had my child. It would make my life complete, just to have your eyes on little me, that'd be mine forever!"_

 _"Next to You," ~ C. Breezy_

* * *

 _Please tell me this is a dream. Please tell me this is just one of my creepy, lovesick fantasies. Because if this is real, my dad is going to kill me._

That was the first thing that came to Natsuki's mind. She gaped and spluttered and coughed and choked on her saliva and invisible particles in the air. If the situation weren't so dire, Shizuru might've laughed at the display of astonishment.

"Are you sure?" She whispered. What she really wanted to ask was if Shizuru was _sure_ the baby was _hers,_ but she didn't know how to properly phrase it without it sounding _offensive._

Shizuru dipped her head. Her eyes were now obscured by her fringe. Natsuki couldn't help but reach out and brush the offending hairs away.

 _Damn, the condom must've broke or something._

Suddenly, realization hit her like a freight train. She slapped her hand against her forehead in a manner that would've been more appropriate if she were remembering that she left her homework or an important essay on the kitchen counter and it was due that very same day.

 _In order for a condom to break you must first in fact use a condom._ That was it, that was the single most _important_ detail she'd forgotten in her drunken stupor that night. And now, Shizuru was _pregnant_ because of her _irresponsibility._

Pregnant with _her_ baby. It was _her_ sperm fertilizing Shizuru's eggs. And in a few short trimesters, Shizuru would be giving birth to _her_ baby. Assuming she was planning on _keeping_ it, of course.

"Are you going to keep her?" Natsuki asked softly, her heart in her throat.

"Her?" Shizuru echoed.

Natsuki rubbed the back of her neck nervously and gave a meek nod. "Yeah, I can't really produce boys. I don't have the correct genetic code or something like that. I don't know, I never really took the time to figure out why or whatever. The closest thing you'll have to a son, is well, a daughter like _me._ "

She awkwardly gestured to her groin with a furious blush igniting her entire visage.

 _A daughter,_ Shizuru thought, suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. She would have a _daughter. They_ would have a _daughter._ A beautiful little girl.

"I want to keep her, Natsuki." Shizuru whispered softly, her eyes glistening. "I would understand if you didn't want anything to do with me anymore, but you deserved to know. She's _your_ daughter too."

 _My daughter_ , Natsuki laughed breathlessly. "Is it weird that I've already imagined us being in this situation? Only we were _much_ older."

Natsuki reached out tenderly and grabbed the back of her hand, kissing her knuckles affectionately, her eyes twinkling with determination. "I won't let you raise her alone, you know. I know we're young or whatever, and some teenagers have the urge to run when shit gets serious, but _I'm_ not, I _won't_ let you do this by yourself."

She closed her eyes and flashed the older girl a dazzling smile. "I don't know if I'll be a good father or not, but I'll sure as hell try. I mean, _my_ dad's not perfect, but she's amazing and I wouldn't trade her for anything, contrary to belief."

Shizuru threw her arms around Natsuki's neck, burying her face into the place where Natsuki's neck met her shoulder, staining it with fresh, salty tears. "Oh, Natsuki."

 _You will make an excellent father. She will absolutely adore you. Just like I do,_ Shizuru thought as Natsuki rubbed her back.

After a few tender moments, Shizuru composed herself and pulled back. Natsuki brushed her tears away with the gentle, calloused pads of her thumbs, much like Reito had done the night before. His hands were much softer, but she preferred Natsuki's touch.

"Do your parents know? Have you told them, I mean?" Natsuki asked.

Shizuru looked away as memories of the night before surged through her fragile mind. Honestly, she felt that she had gotten off rather well considering the kind of man her father was. She was expecting a beating or some type of serious physical punishment at least.

"Shizuru?" Natsuki frowned as her fingers came away stained with some sort of thick substance. Some of Shizuru's makeup had been washed away with her tears mixing with the heat of Natsuki's body, revealing the abrasions beneath.

"Did your parents do this?" Natsuki whispered, tracing the contours of the brunette's perfect jawline marred by the deep purple bruises along her cheekbone and below her eye.

"My father did not take well to the news."

Natsuki clenched her fist, an action that did not go unnoticed by Shizuru. "And your mother?"

"She died shortly after I was born."

Her features softened. "I'm sorry."

Shizuru shook her head and leaned further into her touch. "It's okay. It was a long time ago. I hadn't really known her."

"I lost my mom too," Natsuki said softly. "Well, she's not dead. But she might as well be."

Refusing to get caught up in the moment, Natsuki shook her head and said, "Did he…?"

"Yes," Shizuru admitted, already knowing what the question entailed, "I've been staying in a hotel."

Natsuki shook her head furiously, her hair whipping around like a strawberry scented black typhoon. "Stay with me."

"Natsuki, I-" Shizuru began, but Natsuki would have none of it.

"I'm serious, Shizuru. Come and stay with me, us. My dad won't mind. She adores you." Natsuki said fiercely.

"And what of Zhang-san?"

Natsuki snorted. "She doesn't even live there! She has no opinion on the matter. Shizuru, you're carrying my _kid_ , how could I possibly sleep at night knowing you're staying in some creepy hotel by yourself?"

Shizuru really didn't want to impose. It wasn't in her nature. She was an independent young woman who, although is often thrust into the spotlight, didn't particularly like being in it. But she could see in Natsuki's brilliant green eyes that the girl wasn't taking no for an answer.

She dipped her head graciously. "Very well, Natsuki. Thank you." She added tearfully.

"Hey, you know you're part of the family now, right?" Natsuki smiled.

She had been exiled from her family the night before, and offered a new one the next day. For the first time since her exile, she felt… free. She felt free without the weight of the Viola name on her shoulders.

There would be no more formal dinners. No more boring balls. No more creepy, infatuated suitors. No more fake friends lining up to kiss her toes in an effort to win her affection (money). She was just Shizuru now.

She could be whoever she wanted. She could wear ripped jeans and shorts and sweatpants, and wear her hair in messy buns or ponytails. She could stay out after hours with Natsuki and her friends, laughing, joking, play-fighting, and playing cards until the sun came up.

She could be a teenager. (Reasonably, because she _is_ still pregnant).

"Ara, where is Natsuki taking me?" Shizuru asked as the dark-haired girl latched onto her hand and practically dragged her through the hallway.

Natsuki smiled as she detected the familiar Kyoto-ben dialect. "To lunch. I'm starving. You can sit with us, if you want to I mean. I would say let's go get your stuff and head home, but I promised dad that I would stay at school until the final bell rang."

"Ara, I would love to sit with Natsuki and her friends."

Ignoring the gawking stares of shock, jealously, disbelief, and overall shock of witnessing the school's Kaichou with Natsuki Fucking Kruger, she replied, " _Our_ friends. You were accepted the moment you owned Chie with your clever reply to her sexual questions, and you actually knew what Mai was talking about when she was saying something about shoes or something."

" _Heels_ ," Shizuru corrected, "Shoes and heels are two completely different things."

"They both go on your feet, why does it matter?" Natsuki chuckled, completely missing the dark glare Shizuru sent her way.

Lunch was about an hour give or take, and they were only gone for about thirty minutes, leaving another good half-hour to spare. The cafeteria was still crowded and musty and smelled like the mystery meat they were serving.

Chie was sitting in between Mai and a dark-haired girl Shizuru didn't recognize. Tate was seated on the end, stuffing himself with chips and soda. Nao was on the opposite end tending to her nails and scoffing at people she didn't like as they passed by.

Another unfamiliar girl was sitting next to the red-head, studiously reading a book. She shared a striking resemblance with Natsuki. They had the same luscious dark locks, delicate, doll-like features, and even the small, adorable curved noses.

But her eyes were a very light brown instead of Natsuki's green.

"Yo, Natsuki," Chie cried, and her lips curved upwards dramatically when she spotted the brunette gracefully lumbering behind her, "Oh, and you've brought me a treat! How thoughtful."

"In your dreams, Hallard," Natsuki growled as she forcefully moved Tate over with the heel of her Nike sandals. "Where's Japanese Bieber?"

Shizuru's smile faltered slightly when she noticed Reito's absence. She'd called him last night after the entire ordeal and he had snuck out to come and see her at the hotel. He ended up leaving around the time the sun had come up.

He was probably exhausted and decided to stay home to catch up on some well-deserved rest.

"Ara, he wasn't feeling well."

"Aw, does that make you sad, Tate?" Nao said, glancing in the dejected boy's direction.

"Yes," He whined, "He's the only one understands me."

The girl beside Nao looked up at Shizuru curiously. Her dark eyes were intense and shimmering with intelligence. She looked like the type of person who took rules and regulations seriously.

"Oh Shizuru, this is my cousin, Nina," Natsuki said, gesturing to her doppleganger, "Nina, this is Shizuru."

" _Second cousin._ It is an honor, Kaichou-sama," Nina replied respectfully, her beautiful features genuine and filled with silent admiration.

"Ara, the pleasure is all mine." The Kyoto beauty replied. "And please, call me Shizuru."

"Also Nao's boo-thang." Chie added with a wink. "Ain't they just the cutest? They've been together for _four_ years. How many girls can say that?"

"Nobody asked for their relationship summary," Natsuki said, rolling her eyes.

"Y'all hear that?" Nao cupped a hand over her ear. "That sounds like a _hater._ "

Nina's eye-roll was very similar to Natsuki's. Minus their eye colors, they could've been twins. "Nao, you promised that you would start being nice to my dear cousin."

" _Second cousin,_ " Natsuki said.

"That's what I said!" Mai said, affectionately rubbing the very feline-like dark-haired girl beside her. She looked like a freshman. Her hair was wild in most places, but was styled into two very long dark braids. Her eyes, however, were very familiar, but she just couldn't figure out why.

"Bad Natsuki. Bad Nao." She chirped and looked up at the carrot-top red-head. "Right, Mai?"

Mai nodded. "That's right, Mikoto."

"Why is the famed Kaichou sitting with a bunch off…" Nina paused, searching for the appropriate term.

"Peasants? Dykes? Norms? Idiots? Commoners?" Nao supplied unhelpfully, nudging her girlfriend's shoulder.

"Because she likes us!" Tate exclaimed. "Right, Shiz?"

 _Shiz? Shiz._

A nickname. Added or substituted for the proper name of a familiar person. Very popular amongst groups of friends. She truly felt included, watching as all of their expectant stares landed on her, Natsuki's included.

She grinned. "Ara, he's right."

He fist-pumped. "See? told you!"

"Me the best, though right?" Chie waggled her eyebrows.

Shizuru dipped her head apologetically. "Ara, I'm afraid I cannot answer that." She flashed a knowing smile in Natsuki's direction.

"BURN!" Tate instigated loud enough that everyone paused their conversations to look over their shoulders at him.

Nao flipped all the gawkers the bird, and they all returned the gesture. "So, you two official or what? I'm tired of fuckers asking me that shit. Like I fucking care."

"Language, Nao." Nina chided.

"Japanese!" Mikoto chirped. Mai sighed affectionately.

Natsuki tossed a ball of rice in her direction while doing her best to hide her blush. "Get out of my ass, damn." And secretly added, "I'm working on it."

"Personally, I think the Kaichou would be better of with yours truly." Chie said.

"Here we go…" Tate groaned and rolled his eyes.

"She's into bitches," Nao said, "Ain't that right, Pres?"

Shizuru giggled, not at all perturbed by the girl's language anymore. She understood it was the way they communicated. "Natsuki is nothing of the sort."

"Ugh, what does Natsuki have that I don't?" Chie demanded.

"A _Penis!_ " Mikoto yelled boisterously, once again gathering the attention of the entire cafeteria. She looked up at Mai, who was trying her hardest not to laugh. "Right, Mai?"

Natsuki face-palmed.

Nao face-palmed.

Nina face-palmed.

Tate burped.

Shizuru laughed behind her hand.

Mikoto smiled.

"Oi, BUBUZUKE!" Haruka's voice boomed through the cafeteria as she entered through the west wing. Some kids got up and ran in the opposite direction. Others ducked under tables, Natsuki included. She hadn't served her detention for 'disturbing the peace.'

"Don't do anything gay down there," Nao said.

Haruka stomped over with Yukino in tow. "What are you doing shitting with these delinquents…"

Nina cleared her throat pointedly.

" _Sitting,_ Haruka..."

"... And Nina Wang?"

Shizuru smiled. "Ara, isn't it obvious? I'm having lunch with my friends."

Haruka blinked. "Friends?! Since when?!"

"Since she discovered the presence of Chie Ha-" Chie broke off as she was struck in the knee by the only individual under the table. Natsuki snickered to herself.

"You should be eating with _people_ of your status!" Haruka insisted. "Not these hoodlums!"

" _Hoodlums?_ " They echoed.

"Ara, Haruka-san shouldn't be so judgmental. I rather like 'these' people." Shizuru's voice was soft but her eyes were hard.

Haruka's frown deepened. Her brows lowered and her jaw was set. She shook her head in such a way it reminded Shizuru of her father. "Fine, do as you please."

And with that, the boisterous blonde stalked off. Yukino smiled apologetically on her friend's behalf and scurried after her. Natsuki popped up.

"And good riddance!" She barked as she returned to her seat. "What the hell crawled up her ass and died?"

"Believe it or not, she wasn't always like that." Shizuru said softly, her eyes growing distant as she remembered the countless times she and Haruka had played in the sand when they were tiny little girls with no care in the world.

Haruka hadn't been so judgmental then.

Natsuki's hand grasped hers underneath the table. Her tattooed fingers folded over her barren ones, nearly encasing it completely. She squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"People change." Tate said.

"Humans are such fickle creatures." Nina added before she went back to her book.

"People suck." said Mikoto. "Right, Mai?"

"Some -a lot- the majority, yes. But some are different." Mai replied softly, stroking the girl's head.

As the group of friends resumed their playful banter, Shizuru thought deeply about Mai's words. Her crimson orbs fell upon Natsuki. The dark-haired young woman was leaning back against the wall, her eyes soft yet intense as she was once again caught up in another argument with Nao.

Her thumb stroked the back of Shizuru's hand. Her beauty never ceased to amaze the brunette. She couldn't help but think about their baby. Natsuki was different. Physically, most certainly. Mentally, she could be unpredictable. But as a person, the girl had a lot of guts.

She could've easily bolted and never looked back. But instead, she made the mother of her unborn child a promise; a promise to stay. A promise to love the tiny being that would be in her arms in a few short trimesters.

Shizuru brought her unoccupied hand to her lips and pressed a gentle kiss to her fingers before brushing them on the back of Natsuki's hand. The girl paused and glanced her way with those beautiful, intense green eyes of hers.

And she smiled a smile that would be engraved in Shizuru's memory for the rest of eternity.

...

Hours after school had let out, Shizuru and Natsuki were lounging on the girl's bed, simply basking in the comfortable silence that had taken hold of them. Natsuki's head was in the brunette's lap, and Shizuru's fingers were absentmindedly moving through the dark strands.

Her bags were in Natsuki's closet. They had stopped by the hotel after school to retrieve Shizuru's things. Natsuki had been silent throughout the whole ordeal, but Shizuru had witnessed the clenching and unclenching of her fists and jaw as she lugged her bags through the door.

She was furious with Shizuru's father. She wanted to find him and beat the bastard into a bloody pulp then stomp him out until he was nothing but grime on the bottom of her shoe. But she knew that wouldn't be the wisest thing to do.

They decided to keep Shizuru's pregnancy a secret.

Even though the girl technically didn't have anything more to lose, she was still a well-respected, highly sought-after individual and the idol of the school, not to mention the famed Kaichou. Their friends, as well as Natsuki's father, would be informed when Shizuru was later in the pregnancy stage.

Shizuru didn't want Regan to be angry at Natsuki if she found out her daughter had gotten her pregnant. She knew Regan wouldn't do anything too drastic, but she didn't want to burden the woman with the news just yet.

She was still unsure about staying at the Kruger house-hold. Although Natsuki had reassured her that it would be fine, Shizure still couldn't shake the feeling of imposement.

"Watcha thinkin' about?" Natsuki asked.

"Everything," Shizuru replied, "Baby names."

It was only meant as a tease, but Natsuki couldn't help entertain the jest. "Hm, what have you got so far?"

"I've always liked 'Kaya.'" Shizuru admitted.

"Kaya," Natsuki tasted the name on her lips a few times and found that she liked it. "'Kaya' or 'Kaiya?'"

"Ara, what's the difference?"

"K-A-Y-A and K-A-I-Y-A."

"Hm," Shizuru said, "K-A-I-Y-A. _Forgiveness_."

"Or Keira?" Natsuki offered.

"Ara, _Killer,_ most certainly not," Shizuru chided as she swatted Natsuki's nose.

Natsuki laughed. "Not a fan of _Death Note_ then I guess. But not K-I-R-A, K-E-I-R-A. _Light; sun._ "

"Namiko." Shizuru said. " _Child of Nami; Wave_."

"That's my Obaa-san's name." Natsuki informed her. "Hey, speaking of Obaa-san, you've gotta meet her one day. She'll love you. Ren? _Water Lily_?"

"Suki; _Beloved._ "

"Hana; _Flower_."

"Michiko; _Beautiful, Wise Child._ "

"This is harder than I thought." Natsuki blew out a breath and buried her face into Shizuru's belly. "I really like _Keira_ , though."

"Ara, and I really like _Kaiya._ " Shizuru whispered.

"How about this, when the kid is born, we flip on it. Tails for Keira. Heads for Kaiya? Deal?" Natsuki said.

Shizuru smiled softly and gave a brief nod. Natsuki inhaled Shizuru's lovely scent and pressed her forehead against the clothed skin of her lower belly.

 _I really can't wait to meet you,_ Natsuki thought, _I never even thought about kids until today, but… Is it possible for me to love you more than anything even though I haven't met you yet? Plus, you're still only the size of Tate's brain…_

I _hope you look like your mommy because, believe me when I say that she is literally the most beautiful thing to ever walk this planet._

 _But then again, I hope not because I already don't like the idea of boys (OR GIRLS!) fawning all over you._

One final thought crossed Natsuki's mind as she nodded off to the wonderful feeling of hands running through her hair and her forehead pressed against the pregnant young woman's belly.

 _Daddy loves you… Keira/Kaiya._

...

 **Chapter Preview:**

 _"Dad, it's cool if Shizuru stays with us for a while, right?"_

 _Regan paused in her ministrations of tampering with her motorcycle to glance at her daughter. "Sure, but is there a reason why she doesn't want to be at home?"_

 _"Her dad's a jackass." Was Natsuki's evasive yet informal reply._

 _Regan pursed her lips. "Fair enough, but if her old man comes looking for her, you're dealing with him. I'm not being held responsible for a 'kidnapping.'"_

 _"Thanks, dad," Natsuki said, grinning like a fool._

 _"No need to thank me, kid. She's a wonderful girl and I like her a lot. If her dad can't appreciate that then he's an idiot. Besides, it'll be nice to have a woman around the house, don't you think?"_

 _More Shiznat/Adorable Daddy!Natsuki fluff on the way. Next few chapters will be a fluff-fest with some pregnancy hormone induced smut before things get dark._

 _For those of you wondering where Senoh Aoi is, she'll make her appearance sooner or later, and in a fashion that will have you scratching your head and going,"eh?"_

 _Sorry for the lateness, Summer School + Arkham Knight + Granddaddy OG/Durban Poison/Skywalker Kush is quite a distraction! R &R, tell me how you like it, have a good one!_


	7. Chapter 7

**NO REST for the WICKED**

 **Chapter Seven: Wifey Material**

* * *

 **By Indicaa, inspired by the will to raise a child through thick and thin, heaven and hell, and everything in between.**

* * *

 _"You're watching as the world comes down, you wonder why you don't want out! I promise I can change, I promise I can change, just wait until the night is over. Your eyes are glassing over!"_

 _"Stay Now"_

 _All Good Things_

* * *

Regan sighed as she inserted the key into her loft's door and pushed it open, exhausted after a long day's work. And by long day's work she meant a long day of watching others do the work she was too lazy to do and had the newbies do it instead.

It was a win-win situation for her, though. They gained the extra experience and she didn't even have to lift a finger unless someone got _their_ fingers caught in a rotating engine or something just as bad or worse. That would've been troublesome.

Upon entering the complex, however, Regan paused. Something was _amiss._

Her statuesque form stiffened as a rather peculiar aroma wafted past her nostrils. She took a deep breath, her mouth watering as the scent slithered down her airways. It was like inhaling the delicious aroma of the _sweetest ambrosia._

 _What sorcery is this?_

"Natsuki?" Regan asked timidly, briefly wondering if she had mistakenly wandered into another apartment. But it didn't explain how she got in with _her_ key, and looking around the familiar setting she confirmed that she was in fact in _her_ own apartment.

There were unfamiliar sounds coming from the kitchen, also the location in which the mouthwatering scents were coming from. She tossed her bag on the couch and lifted her sweater over her head, draping it along the back of the loveseat, leaving her in a dark long-sleeved cotton shirt.

The stairs creaked slightly, indicating that someone was making their descent from the second floor. " _Natsuki?_ " She scoffed as the young woman fixed her with a curious look when she reached the final stair.

"Heh, I knew it was too good to be true," The kid said, " _You_ in the kitchen, _cooking._ One could only dream."

"I could say the same for you." Her father replied with a severe eye roll. "If I'm here and you're there, and we both know that Nao would burst into flames upon even setting foot in there, then who's in the kitchen?"

Natsuki had a few ideas that might've been the reason behind a certain brunette's mysterious disappearance. She beckoned her father over and together they made their way to the formerly neglected kitchen.

True enough, Shizuru was reason behind all of the glorious scents wafting throughout the house. She's standing over the counter with a knife in one hand and a salt and pepper shaker in the other, simultaneously chopping and seasoning the meat all the while keeping a close eye on the various pots and pans on the stove.

" _Bruh,_ " Natsuki uttered breathlessly, leaning against the wall for support. It was by _far_ the most beautiful sight she'd ever had the pleasure of seeing. Well, next to a hot and sweaty and naked Shizuru writhing beneath her, but she decided to keep that to herself.

Hearing the breathless utterance, the tawny-haired girl's head whipped around, sending fine locks of honey and silk fluttering around her shoulders. "Ara, good afternoon, Natsuki. I hope you slept well."

She then looked at the girl's father and flashed her a stunning white smile. "Ara and good afternoon to you as well, Kruger-san. I hope you don't mind me using your kitchen."

Regan glanced at her daughter, who was staring at Shizuru with a goofy, lovesick smile and coughed into her hand. "Oh baby girl don't even worry about it. And it's just _Regan_ remember?"

Shizuru smiled warmly. "Ara, of course. The food will be ready momentarily. The meat will only take a few minutes." And with a sultry wink, the brunette turned back to the task at hand.

Natsuki plopped on the couch and let out a dreamy sigh. Shizuru could cook from the smell of it. She was smart, gorgeous, funny, and knew how to please in more ways than one. She was _total_ wifey material.

 _And she's having my kid_ , Natsuki thought with a fond smile.

"Please tell me you guys are dating and planning on getting married," Regan teased as she too plopped on the couch and propped her feet up on the table. "Because if that's my future daughter-in-law, please tell me now so I can kick Nao out and have her move in."

Natsuki raised an eyebrow. If her father was this persistent about keeping Shizuru around, convincing her to let her stay with them would be a piece of cake. She liked the girl, she could see it in her eyes and hear the fondness in her voice when she spoke to Shizuru or of her.

Shizuru had a way of doing that. She was extremely kind and woefully charming, and she carried herself like a queen. She was like everyone's wet dream and more. She was the kind of girl you'd want to marry, settle down and have kids, and grow old together.

Luckily for Natsuki, she already had one of those things checked off on the wifey list.

"Dinner is ready!" Shizuru shouted from the kitchen as she sautered out balancing a pair of fully loaded plates in her arms. She set one in front of Regan and the other in front of Natsuki before going back to the kitchen to retrieve her own before eventually joining them in the living room.

"Ara, I left one on the counter for Zhang-san."

"She'd better come and get it before someone else does," Regan said as she eyed the food. Steamed veggies, sticky white rice, and a mouthwatering piece of baked chicken decorated the fine tableware. "Wow, this looks amazing! Almost makes me want to take a picture and Instagram it. _Almost_."

Natsuki nodded in agreement as she broke apart her chopsticks and dug in after a thankful kiss to Shizuru's cheek. The food tasted as good as it smelled, and she had to bite her lip to keep from moaning aloud. Oh yeah, _definite wifey material._

"This is literally the best thing I've eaten in years." Regan complimented, flashing the young woman a charmed dimpled smile.

Shizuru blushed softly. "Ara, you are too kind."

She even _ate_ like a _queen._ She separated her portions, chewed with her mouth closed, and dabbed at her lips with the folded up napkin in her lap after every bite.

Regan grabbed the remote and turned on the TV.

"Usually we order takeout or something and watch TV until it arrives. But _you_ my dear have changed the fabric of reality. What do you want to watch? Natsuki and I usually just flip on it but it's your call."

"Ara, I've never watched TV really. My…" She paused briefly, "It was always seen as a distraction. I'm fine with whatever Natsuki wants to watch."

Natsuki grinned as she squeezed the girl's hand and grabbed the remote from her father. She shoved a spoonful of rice into her mouth as she browsed through the selections. "American TV shows are hilariousl. There's this one show called _Ridiculousness_ this famous skater hosts and they make fun of all the dumb shit people on the internet do and post."

Natsuki found _MTV2_ and clicked on it. The screen showed a man wearing a hat and blue hoodie leaning against a monitor that resembled a laptop screen laughing his ass off along with the hysteric crowd. A dark-skinned man sitting on a red couch was seemingly operated the controls behind a little red box. He was accompanied by a petite blonde woman who's laugh inwardly grated Shizuru's insides.

Shizuru couldn't really understand what was being said so she just watched their actions and assumed there were jokes flying around. The host's face was bright red from laughter.

"I like this show!" Regan squealed with an uncharacteristic giggle. "It's funny watching stupid people get hurt. I mean seriously, the stuff they do is absolutely _ridiculous_."

"Hence the title." Natsuki added. "Oh look, here's my favorite segment. It's called 'Your Friend's a Dick.' Once again the title is self-exclamatory."

Shizuru watched as a drunken middle-aged man and his equally drunken friends laughed and snorted as they shoved what looked like fireworks up their sleeping friend's behind. They lit the little poppers and stepped back, boisterously guffawing as the unlucky man awoke with a pained start and frantically jumped around to alleviate the burning.

"Oh my," Shizuru gasped, bringing her hand to her lips, "Why would anyone do such a thing?"

"Yeah, _dad_ ," Natsuki said with a pointed glare, "Why would anyone _do_ such a thing?"

Regan grinned. "Humans can be totally asinine when drunk. Or high. Or sober, actually. However, the point still stands!"

Dinner was eventually finished and Shizuru took the plates back to the kitchen and promised she would do the dishes later. Regan, however, objected and nominated Natsuki for the task as she excused herself and went about doing some configurations on her motorcycle.

"I'm full." Natsuki said as Shizuru took her usual place cuddled into her side.

"Ara, Natsuki shouldn't have eaten so much." Shizuru replied softly as she raised her hand to Natsuki's belly, giving it an affectionate pat before continuously rubbing soothing circles into her abdomen.

"But how are you though? Any morning sickness? Aches? Anything?" Natsuki asked sweetly as she brought her lips to Shizuru's head.

Shizuru was only about two and a half weeks pregnant and there weren't any significant issues other than the morning sickness, the fatigue, and the frequent trips to the restroom. But her feet had begun to ache sometime during the wee hours of the morning and had been ever since. She wasn't sure if it was the pregnancy or from the running around in a pair of heels.

"My feet hurt." She said softly.

Natsuki gently disentangled herself away from the brunette in favor of planting her behind on the coffee table in front of the couch. Her father would probably nag her later but she didn't care at the moment. She gently took Shizuru's long, flawlessly pale leg and set her foot in her lap where she began rubbing it gently.

"Natsuki doesn't have to..." Shizuru began, but Natsuki shook her head.

"I want too," She replied as she massaged the slightly swollen appendage. Shizuru watched her with an expression of complete adoration. Natsuki was incredibly sweet despite popular belief. "I used to do this to my mother all the time."

"Natsuki is sweet." Shizuru said gently, knowing the dark-haired girl's mother was a touchy subject.

"Heh, don't tell anybody." Natsuki mock-threatened as she moved on to the other foot.

This time it was Shizuru who fell asleep. Her long golden hair cascaded over the edge of the couch like waterfalls of the finest honey. Long lashes fluttered over pale cheeks buried into the crook of her elbow. Her lips were parted slightly as she breathed. Natsuki had never seen a more beautiful sight.

She leaned over and kissed her on the cheek before throwing the duvet on the back of the couch over her sleeping form. With one last fond look, Natsuki shuffled out of the living room to find her father. She was in the garage kneeling beside her beloved bike.

30 Seconds to Mars' _Hurricane_ wafted gently from the speakers. She was wearing a pair of loose sweats and a dark shirt. Her cheeks and hands as well as the rag in her back pocket were smudged with dirt.

"Dad, it's cool if Shizuru stays with us for a while, right?"

Regan paused in her ministrations of tampering with her motorcycle to glance at her daughter. "Sure, but is there a reason why she doesn't want to be at home?"

"Her dad's a jackass." Was Natsuki's evasive yet informal reply.

Regan pursed her lips. "Fair enough, but if her old man comes looking for her, you're dealing with him. I'm not being held responsible for a kidnapping."

"Thanks, dad!" Natsuki said, grinning like a fool and looking every bit like a kid in a candy store.

"No need to thank me, kid. She's a wonderful girl and I like her a lot. If her dad can't appreciate that then he's an idiot. Besides, it'll be nice to have a woman around the house, don't you think?" Regan replied, waggling her eyebrows in a manner that disturbingly reminded Natsuki of Chie.

Natsuki rolled her eyes.

"Where's she gonna sleep?" Regan asked, though she already knew the answer. She didn't mind the girl sleeping in Natsuki's room. Natsuki wasn't stupid enough to do something… _stupid_ , like have sex without protection! "It's cool with me."

"Oh whatever," Regan chuckled as the kid childishly rushed forward and threw her arms around her neck. She pat her daughter on her head. "Alright, alright, enough of that."

Grinning sheepishly, Natsuki released her and scurried out of the garage. Regan watched her go with a fond smile before returning to the task at hand.

"Damn kids." She laughed with a shake of her head.

/

Shizuru was still sound asleep by the time Natsuki returned, lying on her side with her cheek tucked into the crook of her elbow. She snuggled deeper into the duvet which had actually been Natsuki's blanket when she was a child.

It was royal blue and had an intricate wolf design on the front. It was warm and extremely soft, and probably smelled divine because of the frequent washes it had and the body spray it was exposed to when she or her father wrapped it around their shoulders.

Bored and strangely not in the mood for _Battlefield_ or _Dead Space_ , Natsuki pulled out her iphone and opened _Youtube._ Looking around for any wandering eyes, Natsuki typed a single word into the search bar.

 _Babies._

Literally thousands of suggestions came up. Cute baby Vines, babies vs. pets, babies and dogs, babies doing baby stuff, babies being dressed into ridiculously cute and humiliating outfits, babies, babies, _babies,_ _babies_ , **babies** , _**babies!**_

She scrolled through the videos and paused, her thumb hovering over one involving a woman giving birth. She cringed; the thumbnail looked absolutely insane.

 _Might as well_ , she thought, and clicked the video.

Immediately the sounds of a woman in pain blasted through the speakers and she nearly dropped her phone on the floor. Luckily, it hadn't woken Shizuru. She spotted her _Beats_ on the table and slipped the matte blue headphones over her ears before unpausing the video again.

"Oh no, no, no," Natsuki muttered as she held her phone further away from her face, as if doing so would lessen the intensity of the image. " _Natural water birth?_ Why would anyone…"

Natsuki winced as she caught sight of the force in which the woman's hand was clutching her husband's with. He tried to play it off but she could see the pain in his eyes, and she could practically feel and hear the bones as they were mercilessly crushed and grinded together.

 _"Okay, Lisa, push!"_ The woman beside the soon-to-be mother cried, _"You can do it!"_

 _"It feels like my uterus is being torn apart and then soaked with acid and lemon juice."_ The woman moaned, and Natsuki was suddenly very thankful for having been born with a penis.

 _"Push!"_

With a mighty heave, the flustered blonde woman threw her head back and let out an agonized yowl. A little dark head appeared from between the apex of her thighs a few moments later, followed by the sound of tiny, high-pitched cries.

The other woman carefully held the baby's head as the woman continued to push. " _Just a little more, Lisa, come on!"_

So far, _she_ had been much more supportive than the actual _father_ of the child. And where was he you ask? Oh, he was passed out face-first on the deck near the pool the woman was sitting in. Natsuki snorted; _what a pansy._

After a few more pushes the baby slipped out into the woman's waiting arms. _"It's a girl!"_

Enamored, Natsuki watched as the flustered little girl was gently settled into her mother's arms The woman sniffled as tears of joy poured down her cheeks. She cradled the precious bundle of joy in her arms and roughly shoved the heel of her foot into her husband's back to rouse him from his involuntary slumber.

 _"Huh, where am I?"_ He cried as he shot up. His dark eyes quickly darted to his wife and child, his mouth wide open and his expression utterly flabbergasted. _"When did that happen!"_

 _"When you were being useless as usual."_ The other woman scoffed.

 _"Billy, we have a daughter!"_ She cried as she tore her tear-stained blue eyes from the baby's to his dark ones.

He sniffled and nodded as snot and tears began to dribble down his face before getting smudged in his beard on their way down. Only when the cameraman started to zoom in on the man's disgusting display of joy did Natsuki pause the video.

 _Damn, I hope she chooses to have the kid in a hospital or something. I mean, I'm cool with whatever she wants, but a natural water birth is no joke. I don't even think we have a pool or anything she would sit in. I'll ask her when she wakes up._

Natsuki returned to the suggestions and watched a few more videos that didn't involve birthing. She settled on the cuter ones that consisted of little itty bitty children dominating big, otherwise ferocious dogs. One little girl had a vicious rottweiler down on his belly wagging his tail as she stacked dog treats on his nose.

After about an hour of watching little _cuddly-wuddly_ , _heartwarming, teeth-rotting fluff_ between babies and animals, Natsuki placed her headphones back on the table, locked her phone, and sighed.

 _How could anyone not want to be in such a sweet little thing's life? They're absolutely precious, with their gigantic eyes, tiny noses, and chubby faces. They looked like the adorable little plants from **Plants Vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare** _ for god's sakes!

 _GAH!_ Natsuki rubbed her temples in exasperation. She was far too excited to be a father! She was too young, too inexperienced, and it would be insanely difficult caring for a child at this age! But she just couldn't help it. Just the thought of holding that little bundle of joy -her little bundle of joy no less- in her arms made her joyous beyond relief.

 _Nine months is a long ass time,_ Natsuki groaned, _but it gives me time to prepare for… you know. Baby clothes too. I'm going to have to start hustling again for some extra cash. Damn it, I've got to go and buy pink clothes! GAH, pink is such a horrible color! If someone sees me buying pink baby clothes they'll never let me live it down. Especially NAO!_

 _Argh… but if it's for my baby girl, I'll do anything. Anything. That includes pink clothes and cute little stuffed wolves…_

Natsuki smiled softly, unlocked her phone, and put her headphones back on her head. She watched parenting videos until her phone eventually died two hours later.

/

 _Daddy!Natsuki is really life. If only she were real._


	8. Chapter 8

**SMOKE and MIRRORS**

 **CHAPTER EIGHT: The Little Things**

 **by: Indicaa**

* * *

 _"I know I dream about her all day. Think about her with her clothes off. I'm ridin' 'round with my system pumping LSD. I look for ways to say "I Love You," but I ain't into making love songs, baby I'm just rapping to this LSD."_

 _"LSD/LOVE/SEX/DREAMS"  
_

 _A$AP Rocky_

* * *

Shizuru woke the next morning to the sound of laughter and hurried footsteps. She blinked and sat up, tiredly rubbing her lovely crimson eyes while stifling a tiny yawn. She ran a hand through her messy brunette locks as she looked around the empty room.

Natsuki wasn't beside her, and judging by the coolness of the sheets and pillows she hadn't been for quite some time, but the noise coming from outside of the room could be an indication of where she might be.

She swung her legs over the bed and made her way to the bathroom across the hall where she proceeded to freshen up; brushing her teeth, washing her face, and combing her hair. When she was finished, she cleaned up after herself and made her way into the hallway.

She admired the photos decorating the large corridor. They were mostly of Natsuki and her father with various family members. She smiled; Natsuki had been a _really_ cute kid. She particularly liked the one of her and a small dog.

She was sitting on her father's lap clutching onto the puppy's neck, staring into the camera with those enormous green eyes and that adorably perfect little smile of hers. There were pictures of her and Nao, Nina, her friends from school, and of her doing various things.

Her eyes roamed over to one of her and Nina. Apart from their eyes, they could've grown up as twins they looked so much alike. Nina was sitting on the lap of another dark-haired woman who possessed the same molten amber orbs while Natsuki was cradled against her father's chest, smiling tiredly.

She both envied and _adored_ Natsuki and her father's relationship. It was adorably innocent, insanely cute, and filled with playful jabs, jokes, and laughter. She was happy to be able to witness it.

She walked to the balcony and peered over the edge, hoping to catch a glimpse of the commotion downstairs. And when she did, she outright _laughed._

Natsuki and Regan were locked in a heated wrestling match on the floor in the center of the living room, both covered in white powder and various stains. Regan had the upper hand; she currently had her daughter in a very professional full-nelson.

However, she was in no way harming the girl. Only restraining.

"Swallow your pride and just admit they're canon!" Regan was saying to the struggling teenager.

"Never!" Natsuki barked defiantely.

Shaking her head sadly, Regan said, "For god's sakes, Natsuki, listen to your father for once."

Natsuki playfully rolled her eyes. "Oh, look where that's gotten me so far."

"Hard to tell which one's actually the adult around here." A new voice said, causing Shizuru to abandon the scene before her in favor of turning to see who it was.

Nao sauntered up beside her with a nail filer in hand and an unimpressed gleam in her eye.

"Ara, good-morning, Zhang-san." Shizuru greeted warmly.

Nao nodded in reply. "Saw you looking at the pictures in the hallway."

"Ara, yes," Shizuru admitted shyly, "Such a beautiful family."

"If by _beautiful_ you mean _mildly insane._ " Nao replied, but Shizuru could detect the fond gleam in her eye. She giggled, returning her eyes to the scene before them. The positions had been switched, but Regan still had the upper hand.

"They look freakishly alike, don't they?" Nao said. "The mutt and Nina, I mean."

"Ara, they could've been twins." Shizuru agreed.

"You're telling me. Thought it was weird at first, you know. Looking at Nina was like looking at a smarter, less annoying version of the mutt. But believe it or not, they've got different parents. Nina's dad is the daughter of Regan's first cousin or some shit like that." Nao said.

"Ara, is Nina's father…?" Shizuru inquired curiously.

"A woman? Yep, all members of the Kruger family are women. Some are packing, some aren't. Nina isn't though. Only Natsuki, not counting the adults, and seven of her other cousins are packing." Nao explained boredly.

"Nina's parents are divorced and her mom married some other bitch. Hence the name 'Wang.' Nina wanted to keep the Kruger name, but the step-terror's a real dick and convinced her otherwise."

"Ara, truly fascinating." Shizuru murmured as Natsuki's eyes suddenly found hers.

"Oh, hey, Shizuru," Natsuki called cheerfully despite her current predicament.

Shizuru smiled and waved rather shyly. "Ara, good-morning, Natsuki, Regan."

Regan saluted playfully before finally releasing her daughter. Natsuki tumbled forward, landing on her stomach and sending dark long, locks flying in all directions.

Nao sniffed. "Hey, you smell something burning?"

Regan's eyes widened. "Oh shit!" She bolted for the kitchen. She returned moments later with even more mysterious stains on her clothes and cheeks.

Natsuki groaned. "Damn, was that the pancakes?"

Her father nodded sadly.

Natsuki almost banged her head against the wall in frustration. "I'm going to die of starvation."

"Who knew I raised such a drama queen?" Regan sighed. "Oh well, cereal for everyone."

"Wait, wait, wait," Nao interjected, "You were in the kitchen. _Cooking_?"

"Why'd you say it like that?" The older woman asked, feigning hurt. "You act like I never cook."

Silence.

Regan's eyes twinkled. "Well, damn."

"We were trying to make breakfast for Shizuru." Natsuki said. "Until _she_ got sidetracked and dragged me into this mess."

"Hey, you're the non-believer here." Her father shrugged. "We wanted to return the favor for last night."

"Wait," Nao said once more, "You made that?"

Shizuru blushed and nodded softly.

"I thought you guys went to some five star resturant without me again." Nao said, then quickly corrected herself. "I mean, it was _alright_ …"

"Don't listen to her Shizuru," Natsuki rolled her eyes, "She's just mad because Nina can't cook."

"Hey, it's not my fault it doesn't run in the family. Seriously, the only one who can actually make something that won't kill you or have you contemplating suicide is granny." Nao retorted.

"Leave my mother out of this," Regan said jokingly as she took her mittens off and slammed them on the counter. "Let's go to Denny's."

"There are no Denny's is Japan, dad." Natsuki said sadly, remembering her trip to the States with her father when she was ten. "Besides, we have school."

"No, _you_ have school." Regan teased, ignoring her daughter's pout. "I'm just messing around, kid. Stop giving me those damn puppy eyes. You know I hate it when you do that."

"Ara, I can make breakfast." Shizuru offered kindly. "It's really no trouble at all. I quite like cooking. I never got to do it much at home."

Regan internally fist-pumped. She loved the girl already, but she made sure to keep her features as calm and indifferent as ever. "Well, if you insist."

Natsuki flashed her a roguish grin as she made her way down the stairs. Natsuki seemed to be already dressed and ready for the day. She was wearing dark-wash skinny jeans, a dark blue long-sleeved cotton shirt, and a pair of expensive looking sneakers.

She always looked _amazing._

Her style was very unique compared to other girls'. It was bold and daring and lacked many Japanese qualities. Her fashion sense, if anything, was 'Americanized.' From the foreign brand names on her clothes to the odd logos and strange music.

"You said there were no 'Denny's' in Japan. Does that imply that you've been elsewhere?" Shizuru questioned as she made her way to the kitchen.

Natsuki nodded. "Believe it or not Dad was actually born in the States, California to be exact."

"Yep," Regan interjected, "Mom liked to travel and decided to have me in America. Always had a soft spot for Japan, though and raised me out here while my Dad was off playing Rambo in the war. Went back to the states for college, graduated top of my class at UCLA."

"Even though she technically graduated through skype because she was on house-arrest..." Nao said.

"Always loved Cali, though. Brought the kid with me everytime I visited. Showed her around, took her to a few Laker games, ate a bunch of Dodger dogs, she loved LA." She winked at her kid.

"And Denny's," Natsuki said fondly, "Denny's is like the greatest place ever to go to when you've got the munchies."

"Ara, the what?"

"Munchies. The most intense, mind-boggling, heart-stopping, mouth-watering bout of starvation you could get after smoking." Natsuki shuddered just thinking about them.

"Marijuana." Nao clarified.

"Strictly for _recreational_ use," Regan said, gesturing to Natsuki, "Kid's got anxiety and insomnia."

"Insomnia isn't all that bad, though," Natsuki said, "Nao bores me to sleep every night just by talking."

"Go play in traffic," Nao spat, flinging her nail-filer in Natsuki's direction and catching the girl right between the eyes.

"Hey, hey, no fighting." Regan said boredly. "Hey, Shiz."

"Ara, yes?" She asked as she flipped a few pancakes.

"Ever been out of Japan?"

"Ara, sadly no."

Regan frowned. "Damn, that's depressing. Japan can get really boring after a certain amount of time. Next time we visit the States, you're coming with. No if's and's or but's. Got it?"

Shizuru fought down the wide, shit-eating grin that threatened to take hold of her lips. She nodded warmly. "Ara, I would be delighted. Can Haruka come as well?"

"NO!" They yelled in unison.

Shizuru laughed.

/

An hour later they were walking through the halls of Fuuka High, Natsuki and Shizuru huddled close together while Nao trudged along behind. Without her overbearing father to tell her what to do anymore, Shizuru opted to let her inner style show.

She wore a beautiful grey winter sundress Reito had purchased for her birthday a few years ago she never got to wear, and a pair of grey pumps. Her hair was lightly curled and fell around her shoulders in magnificent waves of honey and silk.

Her makeup was flawless. Her smile was perfect. She honestly felt like a million bucks.

Reito was chatting with Tate near the boys' restroom clad in a simple dark T shirt and a pair of jeans tucked into dark Timberland boots. He looked different, and like herself, more radiant than ever, and he was sporting a new haircut.

Tate's hair was as wild and messy as usual. He wore a similar outfit, although his jeans were black, he wore Nikes, and his shirt was a dark button up. Reito chose that moment to look in their direction, running his hand through his comb over fade once before dashing over and sweeping his best-friend into his arms.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" He murmured into her ear. "Where have you been? Where are you staying? Do you like my haircut?"

"Ara, Reito calm down." She chided. "I'm perfect. I've been with Natsuki and her family, and I'm staying with them. And yes, I like your haircut."

He blew out a breath of relief. "So, you told her? How'd she take it?"

She smiled as she recalled Natsuki's heartfelt and determined response to her pregnancy. "Ara, she is looking forward to being a father."

"I knew I liked her!" Reito said loudly, drawing looks from other students gathered in the hallway. "You're the real MVP," He told Natsuki, who raised an eyebrow.

"Yo, what up, dawg!" Tate sauntered up with a foolhardy grin. "What it do?"

"What did what do?" Nao asked.

"Come on, player," Tate groaned, "You're cramping my style."

"I regret introducing him to Gangster Rap already." Natsuki said.

"What do you mean? Tupac, Biggie, Easy E, Nate Dogg, Snoop Dog, Warren G, Afro-man, and Ice Cube really opened my eyes, son! I thought I'd be stuck with sucky Japanese trap and _Unravel_ forever!" Tate cried.

"Great," Nao grumbled, "Now he thinks he's a rapper."

"T-Nasty, what ya'll think about that?" Tate said seriously as he turned around and began pondering possible stage names. "Or T-Raw? Asian Persuasion? The Jap Attack? Come on you guys, help me…"

However, as soon as he turned back around to look at his friends, he found that they were nowhere to be found. Even Reito had abandoned him. His shoulders slumped.

"Out…"

Further down the hallway…

Shizuru was rummaging through her own locker while Natsuki leaned against the ones next to it.

"How're you feeling?" She asked softly, flashing her a gentle sidelong glance.

"Ara, I don't feel nauseous at the moment."

"What about your feet?"

"They feel much better today, thank you." Shizuru retrieved her Chemistry book and ran her fingers over its worn spine fondly. She loved the subject. It was her utmost favorite class of the day.

"I'll walk you to class." Natsuki offered. "I-I mean, if that's cool with you."

Shizuru smiled and took Natsuki's arm. "Ara, I would love you to walk me to class. Room 2A."

Natsuki groaned. "2A? Isn't that up like three flights of stairs?"

"Ara, perfect for those who enjoy fitness, such as myself." Shizuru teased.

"Oh, it's okay, I'll be with you in spirit," Natsuki said as she playfully walked in the other direction, causing Shizuru to grab her arm lightly with a light giggle.

"Ara, come now. It'll be good for you to work off all the mayo you drenched on top of your pancakes this morning." She replied.

Natsuki blinked. "Did you just call me fat? How rude…"

Shizuru outwardly laughed for the second time that morning.

/

When the school day was done and the sun began its descent across the horizon, Shizuru and Natsuki returned home and made their way onto the couch they'd both come to love and cherish. Natsuki was draped across Shizuru's lap with her ear pressed against her belly.

"I can't feel anything." She almost whined.

"Ara, she isn't even a fetus yet Natsuki." Shizuru giggled.

"I know but she's still in there… Do you think she'll look like me?" Natsuki asked cutely.

Shizuru reached out and stroked her cheek. "Ara, I certainly hope so. Has anyone ever told you how gorgeous your eyes are?"

Natsuki blushed furiously and tried to hide her face in Shizuru's shirt, like a nervous child would do so with their mother. "Oi, Shizuru…"

Shizuru placed both hands on Natsuki's cheeks to bring her back to eye level, softly stroking the smooth, flawless skin there. She gazed into Natsuki's gorgeous eyes fondly, wondering how it was possible that she so completely adored her in such a short amount of time.

"Ara, Natsuki," She whispered, her gaze falling to her lips, "May I kiss you?"

She felt the girl's pulse gradually pick up beneath her fingertips. Natsuki blushed again and cleared her throat. "Do ya really have to ask? The answer is always yes…"

Shizuru tangled her hands into Natsuki's dark hair and pressed their lips together, softly gliding her tongue over a plump bottom lip. Natsuki's fingers grazed her thighs as she quickly granted Shizuru entrance to her mouth. Her lips tasted of strawberries and the pineapples she'd eaten a half hour before. It mixed with Natsuki's applebom chapstick, exposing them to delicious new fusions of flavors.

Shizuru pulled back after a moment and rested their foreheads together. "Ara, you are an amazing kisser, Nat~Su~Ki."

A shy smirk. "You're not so bad yourself."

She stroked her cheek again absently as she thought. She liked Natsuki; a lot. It was far more than the adoring crush she had a few weeks ago. New feelings were blossoming deep within her core, and she was intent on acting on them. She'd never truly been one to deny her heart's content, despite the strict upbringing she was exposed to.

"Natsuki," She breathed, "I really like you."

"I really like you too," Natsuki replied in that deep, earnest voice of hers. "I've been wanting to ask you this since the day you owned Chie in the cafeteria, but I didn't know if you felt the same… although, now I do, so…"

She brushed her lips across the back of Shizuru's knuckles before her lovely green gaze snapped to hers. "Will you be my girl?" She shyly added, "Please?"

Shizuru threw her arms around Natsuki's neck, inconspicuously hiding a furious blush in the crook of her shoulder. Natsuki's arms gently rubbed her back and shoulders as soft chuckles caressed her ears.

"So that's a yes?" She asked hopefully.

Shizuru pulled back and plopped a loud, wet kiss on her lips.

"Ara, did you really have to ask?"

/

 _Sorry for the lateness!_

 _Write Sober, or wait much longer!_


	9. Chapter 9

**NO REST for the WICKED**

 **CHAPTER NINE: POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME**

 **by: PLATINUM KUSH**

 **"Take a bottle, shake it up. Break the bubble, break it up. Pour some sugar on me. Oh, in the name of love! Pour some sugar one me!"**

 **DEF LEPPARD, "POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME."**

 **[]**

Pregnancy was a strange thing.

It was as elusive and unpredictable as the weather. It was capable of making her feel strange things and entertain notions she usually would never even consider.

The morning sickness and fatigue was one thing, but the mood swings and the hormonal changes were on a completely different level.

Before she was content with just laying on Natsuki's shoulder while they watched a movie or while Natsuki played a game. But now, she was feeling a bit antsy, and a bit naughty even.

At that very moment they were once again lounging on the couch in the living room, idly watching some weird American vampire movie. She was pressed against Natsuki's side with one hand wrapped around her elbow and the other settled on top of her thigh.

She traced the subtle tattoos littering Natsuki's forearm, trying to ignore her growing arousal that seemingly sprouted from nowhere.

She blamed it on her far from modest attire. She was clad in a pair of Natsuki's boyshorts and a very thin white pullover.

The fabric was rough against her nipples, which had decided to make themselves present to the wandering eyes of the world.

Natsuki's attire was a bit more modest; a pair of dark joggers and a soft white shirt. Shizuru couldn't help but appreciate the way her clothes really accentuated the firmness of her body.

The way her shirt clung to her arms and shoulders, the soft strip of exposed skin where it didn't quite cover her belly.

The joggers were tight enough to invoke arousal and appreciation from admirers, but loose enough to not cause discomfort. Did she mention her hair was tied up in what had to be the sexiest messy bun ever?

And she had a dirty little habit of biting her bottom lip when she was focused?

Natsuki's position on the couch wasn't helping her situation either. She was slouching a bit, her legs slightly parted with her feet propped up against the coffee table, the perfect pose of someone who was both relaxed yet brimming with confidence.

Shizuru could feel herself growing wetter and wetter with every passing second accompanied with a sensually innocent lip bite. The hand on Natsuki's thigh twitched.

Her finely manicured nails drummed a senseless beat on the soft fabric of Natsuki's joggers. Her girlfriend smiled to herself and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, bringing them even closer together.

She bit her lip, willing herself to calm down. Such behavior wasn't ladylike at all. But then again, the things she wanted to do to Natsuki weren't ladylike at all.

Her hand began stroking Natsuki's thigh, slowly at first to make it appear like an innocent, unconscious gesture.

But once again, Natsuki unknowingly made the situation worse by spreading her legs a bit more and sinking further into the couch.

She could see it now; the limp piece of flesh that was currently making a complete mess of her thoughts. Even unaroused, it was certainly impressive.

Shizuru's deity fingers moved closer and closer until they brushed against the clothed tip, drawing forth a gasp of arousal and surprise from its owner.

Natsuki glanced at Shizuru from the corner of her eye. The girl's cheeks were flushed slightly and her body hummed with unreleased tension.

If she looked long enough she could see the gentle slope of Shizuru's nipples poking out from beneath the fabric of her borrowed pullover.

Sensing consent from the dark-haired girl, Shizuru ran her fingers along the clothed length of her, alternating between feather light touches and firm squeezes.

Natsuki's heartbeat quickened as Shizuru's hands continued to do wonders on her young body. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the back of the couch.

Shizuru let her hand creep into her joggers and bit back a strangled moan as it was enveloped in a firm, intimate heat and solid flesh.

"Natsuki," Shizuru whispered as she pressed her lips against Natsuki's neck, "Is your father home?"

Biting her lip once again, Natsuki shook her head. "N-no, she doesn't get off until six on Thursdays."

Shizuru glanced at the clock. Three fifty-four. They had plenty of time.

"Ara, and Nao?"

"Who cares?" Natsuki breathed as Shizuru's hand dipped into her boxers and withdrew her pulsating length for the world to see.

She was at the peak of her arousal; pre-cum already forming at the very tip of the engorged head. Shizuru wrapped her around it and slowly began moving it up and down, swirling her thumb around the slit and lubricating it with its own liquids.

Natsuki pressed their lips together while Shizuru continued to jack her off. The warmth of her lips sent a current of white-hot fire blasting through her body.

Natsuki wrapped an arm around her waist, losing herself in her strawberry breath and impossibly soft lips. She could feel herself getting close and she suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.

She normally had amazing stamina, but it was just something about Shizuru and her white-hot touch that made her body feel weak and limbless.

Her hand pumped faster and faster as teeth and tongues clashed, lips moving against each other in harsh, bruising fashions.

She gasped as Shizuru's tongue easily dominated hers. Her hand gave one last firm pump and suddenly hot streams of cum shot out from the tip, staining her shirt, Shizuru's hand and thighs, and everything caught in its range.

Natsuki panted against her lips for a few seconds until she finally caught her breath. "My room, _now_." She growled.

Shizuru didn't have to be told twice. She scurried up the stairs like an obedient submissive. Natsuki quickly cleaned off the couch and turned off the TV before running up the stairs like a woman on a mission.

When she reached her room and walked inside however, she lost all ability to properly function. Shizuru was sitting on the edge of her bed waiting for her, one hand obscured by her thighs and the other tangled in her pale locks.

She smirked and moved her finger in a 'come hither' motion. Now who was the obedient submissive?

"Take it off," Shizuru murmured as their lips clashed again, pulling on Natsuki's shirt. The girl pulled it over her head and lifted Shizuru into her arms.

Wrapping her legs around her waist, Shizuru freed Natsuki's hair from its prison and yanked on it. Hard. She bit on Natsuki's exposed neck, making sure to leave marks.

She moved over to the bed and threw her down none too gently, falling on top of her and pressing their lower bodies together. She rocked into her, dragging her nails down the smooth planes of her belly.

She slid her boyshorts and panties down her legs in one fluid motion, tossing them over the edge of the bed with the rest of the clothes she quickly discarded.

There was no need for a condom, and the feeling of hot, smooth skin on hot, smooth skin was incredible. Natsuki slipped inside easily. A loud squelching sound reverberated throughout the room, only masked by the song gently streaming from the speakers below the TV.

"Natsuki," Shizuru moaned as her back arched off the bed, thrusting her breasts forward. Natsuki pulled her into her lap and wrapped her lips around a stiff nipple.

Shizuru began bouncing when she was comfortable; she loved riding. It made her feel like she was in control. She squeezed her walls around Natsuki's length as their thrusts became more wild, both of them seeking more friction.

"Natsuki, please."

"Please _what_?"

Shizuru squirmed inexplicably. She yanked Natsuki's face closer to hers by her hair. "Please, _fuck me_."

Hearing Shizuru curse was like drinking gasoline and swallowing a match right after. She grabbed onto Shizuru's hips and began roughly rotating her own. Her thrusts were pointed and powerful, each penetrating deep and brushed Shizuru's G-spot every single time.

She felt so full, fuller than she had the first time they'd had sex and she didn't think that was possible. Until now.

Natsuki lifted her leg and bent it far back against her chest. She moaned, she hadn't truly realized how flexible Shizuru really was. She felt her climax quickly approaching and she found herself thrusting even harder.

"Natsuki, _faster_ ," Shizuru threw her head back and moaned as a drop of sweat rolled down her neck and disappeared in between the valley of her glorious breasts.

Natsuki rested herself on her elbows as she continued to fuck her girlfriend into oblivion. She thinks she'd addicted to Shizuru's pussy, her body, her lips, her everything.

She came moments later, once again filling Shizuru with her hot seed, but it was fruitless now; the deed had already been done. They always seemed to come at the same exact instant.

She rolled over and threw her elbow over her eyes, pulling Shizuru on her chest.

"You are going to be the death of me." Natsuki chuckled, playfully squeezing her butt.

"Ara, don't tell me this little kitty is enough to put the big bad wolf to sleep?" Shizuru crawled over her and grabbed her length again.

"If you're not careful," Natsuki murmured, "You'll have to stay home tomorrow because you can't walk straight."

"I don't want to be careful." Shizuru replied, lowering herself onto her member once more.

 **[]**

Regan came home a few hours later immensely irritated and contemplating quitting her job and becoming a dope dealer. She literally worked from 9 to 5 with a bunch of idiots who belonged in mental homes not engineering facilities.

Her arm hurt like a bitch. One of the buffoons had _singlehandedly_ managed to singe her forearm with the blowtorch he set too high and couldn't control.

The tattoo was ruined and she was furious about. The tattoo had been a gorgeous printing of her mother's name, and now it was reduced to a piece of burnt flesh and ruined ink.

Every time she looked at the bandage she fought the urge to find that idiot and strangle him with his intestines. She literally through her bag on the floor and stomped over to the couch.

However, before she could actually sit down, something stopped her.

It wasn't like a physical force or anything; more like a mental barrier. Like something was telling her not to sit down on this very couch.

"Huh," she muttered agitatedly, kicking the side of the coffee table for good measure. "Stupid job, stupid idiot, stupid couch!"

The enraged woman marched into the kitchen to make a sandwich. She paused as the sound of banging resonated through the loft. She looked up with a raised brow and an irritable smirk. "Stupid kid..."

"At least someone's having a good day," she said and went to the fridge to retrieve a few beers. Her day was far from great, but it was nothing a little 3 Doors Down and a bit of liquor couldn't fix.

 **[]**

The next day Natsuki arrived at school alone.

"Hey, where's Shizuru?" Reito asked with a pout.

Natsuki hid her smirk behind a cough and closed her locker. She looked up at her girlfriend's tall, handsome friend. "Oh you know, pregnancy's got her a little weak in the legs." She whispered, and strode past him.

He frowned. Shizuru hadn't called him about complications. Maybe one had just arisen? Or Natsuki was being funny.

"Hey," He called after her, struggling to catch up with the agile teen, "Was that some kind of dirty lesbian euphemism?"

Natsuki grinned and rolled her eyes.

"Do you think they'll work on Tate?" He asked hopefully.

"Oh god," Natsuki groaned and took of in the opposite direction. Reito sighed and hung his head; no one wanted to help him seduce Tate! It was so unfair.

"Forever alone." He muttered, sulking all the way to his first period.

 **[]**

 _Poor Reito._

 _Short chapter, I'm aware, but the next one is already in progress and will be up tomorrow around dusk (Pacific Standard Time)_

 **Chapter Preview:**

 _Shizuru spends a day with her girlfriend's eccentric father while Natsuki fends of Takeda's advances and Reito's schemes to turn Tate out._

 _Meanwhile, Chie plots to steal Shizuru from Natsuki with her irresistible "charm" and a new student causes complications for the lovely couple._

 _Will Shizuru be able to handle Regan's extreme Reganess? Will Reito succeed in his quest to make Tate his? Will Takeda ever take a hint?_

 _Will Chie ever take a hint?_

 _Find out next time on No Rest for the Wicked._


	10. Chapter 10

**NO REST for the WICKED**

 **CHAPTER TEN: TAKE IT OUT ON ME**

 **by: PLATINUM KUSH**

 **"So scream if you wanna, shout if you need need. Just let it go. (Take it out on me.) Fight if you need to, smash if it helps you get control. (Take it out on me."**

 **THOUSAND FOOT KRUTCH, "TAKE IT OUT ON ME."**

 **[]**

Regan grimaced as she slowly unwrapped the salve soaked bandages around her forearm. The burn looked no better than it had last night. The skin was still a grotesque red and purple with various shades of black lining the edges.

It hurt, but she learned to ignore it. From a young age she was taught not to dwell on pain. Only fools allowed injuries to hold them back from doing what they needed to do.

But since the injury had come while she was at work, she was granted a temporary leave with pay. She could spend the next week or so doing absolutely nothing if she wanted to.

And that's exactly what she planned to do; absolutely nothing.

She'd probably get bored within a few hours and get into trouble like she usually did. Even though she was a full grown adult, trouble still seemed to follow her everywhere.

Natsuki was at school, but for some reason Shizuru wasn't. Natsuki had claimed she wasn't feeling well, but the girl looked absolutely fine the night before.

She wasn't stupid. Natsuki could try and be as slick as she wanted, but she couldn't out-slick her father, who was the slickest of them all.

She couldn't wait to tease Natsuki all about it when she returned home for the evening. But fortunately for her, even though Natsuki wasn't home, Shizuru was.

She reapplied the salve her doctor prescribed and wrapped a new bandage around her forearm. After admiring her handy work, she put the salve back into the cabinet and grabbed her keys from the kitchen counter.

She went to the local diner to pick up some breakfast for herself and her daughter's girlfriend. Grabbing her food, she plopped down on the armchair opposite of the couch. She was still skeptical about that couch.

About thirty minutes later, Shizuru emerged from her hideout.

She looked a bit under the weather with her flushed cheeks and otherwise pale face. She walked as if it pained her, and Regan decided to keep her mouth shut for the time being.

"Morning, Shiz," She said around a mouthful of pancakes. "You don't look too good."

The brunette offered her a weak smile. In all honesty she felt like shit, and it had nothing to do with the pleasant soreness between her legs.

She was certain that her apparent illness came at the hands of her pregnancy. She had frequented the restroom many times the night before for multiple reasons.

She was only about five and a half weeks pregnant at this point. She'd read that even though she wasn't showing any signs, her baby's little heart was already dividing into chambers and would begin pumping blood soon.

She's probably about a quarter of a centimeter long and looked more like a tadpole than a human being during the early stages.

She's busily growing all of her major organs, including kidneys and a liver. Her intestines are developing and her appendix was already in place.

The neutral tube that connected her brain and spinal cord would close within the week. Already, little buds that will grow into her baby's arms and legs began to sprout. She would have to make a doctor's appointment soon.

"Ara, my stomach is just a little upset. It must have been something I ate." Shizuru said softly, unable to find it within her to completely lie to this woman, who had been nothing but kind to her.

"That sucks," Regan replied. "I brought you something from the diner down the street since we both know what would've happened if I tried cooking again."

"Kanin na," Shizuru said gratefully as she made her way to the kitchen.

She was starving. She piled more food on her plate than she usually would've liked, but she was eating for two now and didn't worry too much about it.

"Kanin na?" Regan echoed curiously. "Oh, you're from Kyoto, aren't you?"

Shizuru nodded and Regan smiled beautifully. "I've been trying to pinpoint your accent for like a week." She popped open a bottle of beer Shizuru hadn't noticed before. "Tell me about yourself."

Shizuru ate a bit before politely wiping her mouth. "Ara, let's see. I was born in Kyoto on December 25, 1997. My mother died shortly after giving birth to me and I was raised by my father and his servants."

"Servants?" Regan let out an impressed whistle. She'd figured the brunette came from a wealthy family. It was plain to see. She wore clothes that probably cost more than some people's cars.

And she finished chewing before speaking for God's sake! If that wasn't a sign of class and wealth she didn't know what was. Regan figured the backs of wrists weren't actually meant to be used as makeshift napkins.

Oh well, that's what dark jeans were made for.

"Wait," Regan scrunched her face up in a very Natsuki-like fashion. "Viola, right?"

Shizuru nodded and took another bite of her pancakes, savoring their unique taste. Up until a few days ago she wasn't aware of their existence. Now she knows what she's been missing out on.

Regan blinked. "Viola as in Viola Industries? As in one of Japan's wealthiest companies? As in led by Hiro Viola? Hiro Viola is your father?"

"Ara, yes." Shizuru replied with another subtle dip of her head.

"Wow," Regan exclaimed with a childish dimpled grin, "I went to school with that guy. What a dick." She caught herself and flashed her daughter's girlfriend an apologetic smile. "My bad."

Shizuru giggled. "Ara, no offense taken. Father can be… difficult to like."

"Difficult? Try impossible!" Regan snorted and shook her head. "I punched him once, you know."

"Ara, why?"

"Because he was being a dick to one of my friends. The fucker reported me too." Regan chuckled. "He claimed I broke his cheekbone and got me suspended for a week."

Shizuru sighed. It definitely sounded like something her father would do. He'd always had a habit of starting things he never intended to finish.

Like his relationship with her mother. He was only with her for the sake of bearing an heir to takeover after him. And thus, Shizuru was born, but alas, she was not the son he envisioned.

"Hey," Regan was suddenly kneeling in front of her and she realized she must have been wearing an involuntary pained expression of some sort.

The beautiful dark-haired woman offered her a crooked smile. Her hand came out to gently grasp the brunette's and she squeezed softly, reassuringly.

"You don't have to worry about him right now." She tilted the girl's chin up. "You're way too pretty to be anything but happy. Like I told the kid, you're practically family now. Anyone who can put up with my kid like you have deserves to be nothing less."

Shizuru smiled beautifully and Regan reached out to stroke her head like she often did with her own daughter. She rose from her kneeling position on long, slender legs. Her gentle expression turned devilish in a matter of seconds.

"Since the kid's not here to prevent me from doing so, I've got something to show you." Regan said with a mischievous smirk.

"Ara, may I ask what it is?"

Regan grinned. "I've got baby pictures." She sing-songed.

 **[]**

Natsuki's head shot up from its position on her desk as the familiar feeling of dread suddenly crept into her core. Chie flashed her a sidelong glance. "You okay?"

Natsuki shuddered. "I don't know. It feels like something bad's about to happen."

"Like?" Chie pressed as she returned her attention to the penis she was currently drawing near Emperor Hirohito's mouth in her textbook.

"I don't know exactly," Natsuki replied, and raised an eyebrow as she witnessed what Chie was doing. "You know, for a lesbian you're awfully good at drawing those."

"I just envision myself in your shoes." Chie said. "You're such a prude, if I had a penis at least half the girls here would be walking around with my children in their womb."

Natsuki whispered a silent prayer, thanking the universe for not doing such a thing.

"Guys," Midori said as she re-entered the room with a dorky smile on her face. Most of the students hadn't even noticed she had gone. "Look alive, children. I have great news."

"You finally decided to stop claiming you're seventeen?" Tate guessed from somewhere behind Natsuki, drawing forth a round of excited giggles from his classmates.

Midori rolled her eyes. "I am seventeen, you dimwit. That's a detention."

"Wait," He cried, "For what?"

"Bullying superiors." Midori replied, ignoring the boy's incredulous face. "Anyway, we have a new student and I want you all to welcome her."

"Is she hot?" Chie asked while a few other boys mumbled in agreement.

Midori sighed and looked to the classroom's sliding doors as they slowly creaked open. "Speaking of the devil, here she is."

A girl of average height slowly shuffled in on long, slender legs. Her skin was flawless and nearly as white as the walls around her. Her features were sharp and well-defined with thin lips and a proud, straight nose. Her hair was dyed some sort of dark teal and cut into an odd bob that was longer in some places and shorter in others.

"What's up with her hair?" Tate whispered.

"Yeah," Chie agreed, "Looks like the line-graph representing Tate's life."

Natsuki chuckled behind her hand as the girl's eyes roamed the sea of faces and settled on her. They were the color of steel and just as cold and hard. "Sheesh," Natsuki said, "I'm getting some serious Light Yagami vibes from her."

"Class, this is Marguerite Tomoe. I expect you to treat her well." Midori continued, then paused to abruptly shake her fist at her mischievous class. "Or else."

"Or else what?" A faceless boy challenged from his place in the very back.

"Or else." Midori repeated, offering no elaboration whatsoever. "You can sit next to Tate."

Tomoe said nothing and did as she was told, sliding out the chair near the boy and gracefully sitting down. The sandy-haired buffoon flashed her a big, lopsided grin and stuck out his head.

"Hi," He said warmly, "Yuuichi Tate."

Tomoe merely eyed his hand and looked away, looking like she'd rather drink gasoline then touch the boy's hand. "I'm sure you're aware of my name." She said boredly. "Do not speak to me. We have nothing more to say."

Tate looked hurt for a moment. He then turned back around to the front and put his cheek in his hand.

"Wow, what a bitch." Chie said after overhearing the ordeal.

Natsuki nodded and leaned back in her chair as Midori continued to talk about something no one in class cared about. Everyone resumed what they were doing before, but Natsuki couldn't help but feel like there were eyes burning into the back of her skull.

 **[]**

"Dad, Shizuru," Natsuki said as she entered her home a few hours later, "I'm home… Gah!" She cried in surprise when she witnessed her father and her girlfriend sitting close together on the couch, giggling at the book on Shizuru's lap.

Regan looked up and smiled innocently. "Hey, kid. How was school?"

"Ara, Natsuki was so cute!" Shizuru swooned as she held up the book, pointing to a photo of a very young Natsuki sitting in the bathtub sporting a bubble-beard with a long, manicured finger.

"Gah! Dad!" Natsuki made a move to snatch the book away, but Regan sensed it long before and intercepted the embarrassed teen before she got too close.

She lifted the nearly full-grown woman over her shoulder like she was a mere child. "Ah, ah, ah, she's not finished."

Natsuki thumped her face against her father's shoulder and groaned. "I hate you so much."

"Welp, you're going to hate me even more because I promised your grandmother that I'd bring you guys over so she could meet her favorite granddaughter's girlfriend." Regan said.

Natsuki groaned again, but couldn't help but feel a bit excited. Her grandmother Namiko was one of her favorite people in the world. She was probably the nicest little woman you'd ever find, and she was as smart as she was beautiful.

"Right now?"

"As soon as…" Regan paused as Nao walked through the door with Nina trailing. "Never mind, we're all here. Let's go. The sooner we leave, the sooner I can come back and get drunk."

"Where are we going?" Nina asked as walked over to give her cousin Regan a great big hug.

She was extremely fond of her big cousin. Her own father and Regan had been very close when she and Natsuki were kids.

They used to bring their respective charge over each other's houses to play, and when the family had voiced their displeasure about her father due to past actions, Regan was the only one who stood up for her and treated her like she wasn't the biggest piece of shit on the planet.

"My mother awaits." Regan said. "You feel any better, Shizuru? You can stay if you want." And with that, the older woman let her daughter back onto the floor.

Natsuki flashed her an irritated glare and kissed her girlfriend on the cheek. "Ara, I feel much better now. I would love to come."

"Great," Regan said, and with that, the five females changed clothes, locked up the house, and went on their way.

 **[]**

Thirty minutes later they were walking up a beautiful path that led to a gorgeous, traditional home that was surrounded by a plethora of multi-colored flowers, towering sycamores, and beautiful sakura trees.

There was a fountain near the wooden porch where a dog was lying with its head on its paws. It perked up upon seeing the women and began barking excitedly.

"Duran, you better not." Regan warned the excited canine as he sprinted forward with all intentions of bowling her over and covering her face with doggy kisses.

He whined, but stopped a few inches away, wagging his tail furiously.

He was a beautiful dog, Shizuru thought. A husky of some sort with long black and white fur, piercing blue eyes, and large, triangular ears. He sniffed curiously in her direction.

"Duran, what's the matter?" A soft, melodic voice wafted through the large sliding doors as a beautiful older woman emerged.

She was wearing a gorgeous blue traditional kimono with intricate pictures of flowers on the sleeves. Her hair was rich and dark, and fell nearly to the back of her knees in shimmering waves of ebony.

Her deep green eyes lit up as she spotted Regan and the group of teenagers, and she rushed forward, wrapping her arms around her tall daughter's neck with a happy sigh.

"My dear," She cooed, "How I've missed you."

Regan's demeanor softened as she embraced her mother fully. She kissed the top of mother's head. "Hey, mom. Long time no see."

Namiko swatted her on the head. "All your fault. You never come and visit me anymore. Have you grown tired of your little old mother?"

Regan rolled her eyes and Namiko moved over to the teenagers. She hugged Nao first. "Juliet, you've gotten taller."

Natsuki snorted.

Nao groaned. "Ugh, you know I hate that name."

Namiko laughed. It was soft and airy, and reminded Shizuru of bells. She moved over to Nina. "Dear, you look beautiful. Your father's here. She's upstairs. Got a bit of a fever." Namiko told her, watching as the girl's eyes lit up and she dashed away with Nao at her heels.

"Obaa-san!" Natsuki cried childishly, flinging her arms around the tiny woman's neck. Namiko laughed joyously and hugged her back just as tightly.

"Natsuki-chan," Namiko pulled back after kissing the young woman's teeth, her eyes roaming over her young granddaughter's form. "You look just like your father." _And your mother_ , she added silently to herself.

She looked over to Shizuru, her deep eyes regarding her softly. "And who is this lovely young woman?"

Natsuki gently grasped Shizuru's arm and ushered her forward. "Obaa-san, this is Shizuru," and goofily added, "My girlfriend."

Shizuru politely dipped her head. "Ara, it is a pleasure."

Namiko waved her off and pulled the taller girl into a hug as well. Shizuru really had to reach down the woman was so friggin' tiny. She barely reached the five foot mark, if at all.

"My dear, you are absolutely gorgeous." Namiko said sincerely, drawing forth a pretty blush from the chestnut-haired beauty. "Why don't we all go inside and have some tea?"

"Mom, you know I hate tea." Regan said, and Shizuru gasped internally. How could anyone say such a thing?

"Riku brought over some sake last night." Namiko replied with a soft eyeroll. "Honestly, I could never understand you or your father's taste for beer."

Regan tried not to cringe at the mention of her dad. Tried. "Eh, you get used to it."

Duran barked happily as Natsuki ran her hands through his long fur. "Missed you too, boy." She said.

The four women walked into the living room. It was just as beautiful as the rest of the house and it smelled delightful, like the forest beyond the bamboo fences. There was a pathway visible that led to a shrine, the smell of incense filled the air.

There was also a portrait of a woman in the far corner, whose dark eyes seemed to pierce everything they locked on to. Her hair was like most of the Kruger women's, long and dark, and her features were stunning. She looked too much like Regan, and Shizuru guessed that she was her father.

"Shizuru, would you like some tea?" Namiko asked sweetly. "I have Jasmine, green, and black cherry."

"Ara, Jasmine, please." The brunette said as she sat beside Natsuki on the floor, adopting a traditional pose while Natsuki opted for simply crossing her legs.

Namiko returned moments later with the steaming cup in her hand and handed it to the brunette, who thanked her kindly. She briefly glanced at Regan. A silent conversation passed between mother and child, and Regan eventually sighed in frustration before rising and disappeared out the back doors.

"So," Namiko began once the woman was out of earshot, "How long have you two been dating?"

"17 hours!" Natsuki blurted. "I mean, uh. Not long…"

Shizuru stifled a giggle behind the palm of her hand. Namiko's eyes lit up. "How cute! I remember when Natsuki was just a child and she swore up and down she'd never have a girlfriend because they had cooties."

"Obaa-san!" Natsuki half cried, half groaned.

"It's true. I think the first time a girl kissed her on the cheek she cried." Then Namiko's expression turned thoughtful. "Actually, that girl was me."

"It did not happen like that." Natsuki assured her. "Dad told me if a girl kisses you then they lock you down for good and hold you hostage until the day you die!" Then she remembered she wasn't supposed to let that information out. "Oops."

Namiko rolled her eyes, but the fondness for her daughter was apparent. "Honestly, that girl is something else. Always so dramatic. Speaking of which, Natsuki, won't you tell your grandfather hello?"

"Oh, sure!" Natsuki said as she quickly rose and kissed Shizuru on the cheek before going out the same route her father had taken, out the back door and up to the shrine.

Namiko's expression softened. "I haven't seen her this happy in years. I think you're the first girl she's ever brought home."

"Ara, I'm honored," Shizuru whispered. "Natsuki is an amazing young woman."

"And so are you. I've only known you for only a few minutes, but I'm good at reading people. Something I learned during the war." Namiko said.

"Ara, the war?" Shizuru found herself asking.

Namiko nodded. "I was a nurse for the ninety-second brigade during WWII. I was only sixteen, and I had followed my mother to war trying to prove my worth as a doctor. That's where I met Ren, Regan's father. She was a pilot. She died when Regan was only a girl."

"Ara, I'm sorry to hear that. How did she die, if I may ask?"

Namiko sighed. "Like most Japanese fighter pilots. Suicide. The only Kamikaze in history to take down forty-six planes and an entire aircraft carrier singlehandedly in one night."

"That must've been hard. What was it like?" Shizuru whispered. "Serving in the war alongside your mother?"

"Oh, loud. Bloody. Sometimes I still have nightmares about those poor soldiers we couldn't save. And the bombing. Oh god," Namiko shook her head, "I wasn't far from Hiroshima or Nagasaki when the bomb hit. I nearly died, but I managed to escape. My mother wasn't so lucky."

Namiko reached for the clasp of her kimono and turned around, shrugging it off of her shoulders and sweeping her long dark hair over her shoulder. "This is my most vivid reminder."

Shizuru gasped. In the very center of Namiko's back was a horrific, gaping hole of a scar where a terrible wound had been years ago. It was about as big as her fist and the skin hadn't quite heal as expected.

"Acid from some sort of mechanized weapon fell on my back when my team and I were trapped in an abandoned building. Even through all of the pain I could still see the flash of the atomic bomb." Namiko said as she re-adjusted her kimono and turned back around to face a shocked Shizuru.

"Oh, I'm sorry, dear. I hope I didn't ruin your appetite." She said worriedly.

"No," Shizuru shook her head, "Thank you for sharing such a thing with me."

"I'm old. I love to tell stories." Namiko said with a smile as her daughter and granddaughter returned. She noticed Regan's troubled expression and faltered internally. Sometimes, even the oldest of wounds could still cause the most pain. In more ways than one.

"I hope you're not boring Shizuru with one of your stories, mother." Regan said as she plopped down near the old woman's side and leaned against her shoulder. "She probably doesn't care that you sat next to Hirohito in high school."

Namiko slapped her daughter upside the head with a mock gasp. "You may be grown, but you're never grown enough to being bent over my knee, Regan."

Regan snickered. "Do your worst."

Namiko smiled a smile that wasn't unlike the one Regan wore earlier in the day. "Oh, I will. Since you're all here, how about a little history lesson?"

All around, eyebrows rose. "What kind of history lesson?" Natsuki asked curiously.

She flashed a devilishly beautiful grin at her daughter, who was growing more and more uneasy as the situation progressed.

"The cute kind featuring a baby Regan."

Shizuru giggled in anticipation. Natsuki snickered and whispered, "Karma."

Regan sighed; she knew she should've just gotten drunk and passed out like she originally planned.

 **[]**

 **Chapter Preview:**

 _ **Shizuru and Natsuki grow closer and make their first trip to the clinic to check up on their baby. Tomoe takes an interest in Shizuru. Reito makes a move on Tate. Haruka finds out Shizuru's secret and she is none too pleased.**_

 _ **Regan gives her daughter a gift, and Natsuki encounters a strange woman that will, unknown to her, will change her life.**_

 _ **Author's Note: I just changed my name because I got bored of the old one. :P**_


	11. Chapter 11

**NO REST for the WICKED**

 **CHAPTER ELEVEN: ENTER: THE DEVIL**

 **by: PLATINUM KUSH**

 **"I watch the city burn. These dreams like ashes float away. Your voice I never heard. Only. Silence."**

 **RED, "LET IT BURN"**

 **[]**

"Natsuki, be a dear and run down to the store and get me some beer."

Natsuki rolled her eyes as her father's sing-song voice sounded from the kitchen where she was undoubtedly searching through the cupboards of her mother's house for something alcoholic. Her grandmother frowned.

"She's _sixteen_ , Regan. They're not going to sell her alcohol." Namiko said.

"Dad's a VIP at Ryoko's which means they make special exceptions for her," Natsuki replied, rising from the couch in search of her shoes, "And that _includes_ selling alcohol to her underaged daughter."

Namiko merely sighed and returned her eyes to the picture book in her lap that she and Shizuru were viewing. Shizuru glanced at her girlfriend. "Ara, does Natsuki wish for me to accompany her?"

"Nah." Natsuki shook her head. "It's only a few blocks away. I'll be back in like ten minutes. Do you want anything?" She leaned over the couch to give the brunette a kiss on the cheek.

Shizuru was about to decline out of habit, but couldn't find it within herself to do so. Lately, she had been craving candy; lots and lots of candy, and _icecream._ "Ara, icecream." She said, a nearly transparent blush staining her cheeks.

"What kind?" Natsuki chuckled as she twirled her house keys around her middle-finger.

Shizuru thought for a moment. "Ara, something chocolate. I trust Natsuki's judgment."

"Chocolate icecream for the lady and cheap beer for the savage. Got it. Do you want anything, Obaa-san?"

"No thank you, dear." Namiko replied with a grateful smile. Natsuki had decent manners for having being raised by someone who seemingly lacked them entirely.

But she _had_ been with her mother for the first nine years of her life, and from what she remembered from her younger years, Saeko had grown up practicing strict etiquette.

It was a shame to Namiko how things ended between her daughter and Saeko. She'd honestly loved the girl and thought she was the perfect match for Regan, but she guessed some things just weren't meant to be.

As Natsuki walked out the door with Duran by her side, Regan returned from the kitchen with a full bottle of gin in one hand and a red-velvet cupcake in the other. She plopped down next to her mother.

"Want some?" She asked, holding out the bottle.

Her mother just rolled her eyes and pinched her cheek. "Ah, I remember this!" Namiko cooed, pointing to a picture of a newborn Regan who was cradled against her bosom, looking up at her with those infant blue eyes and those deep dimples of hers.

"You were so cute." Shizuru almost squealed, hearts in her scarlet eyes.

"She had my heart as soon as I saw those adorable little dimples." Namiko said fondly, sparing her daughter a gentle glance, which turned into an eye roll as Regan downed half the bottle in one gulp and belched afterwards.

She made a face and smacked her lips, as if trying to rid her mouth of the unwanted taste. "Is there something wrong with your gin, dear?" Namiko inquired, a mischievous smirk on her lips.

Frowning, Regan squinted at the label on the bottle trying to see if she'd accidently grabbed the wrong beverage. The bottle was indeed labeled _Gin's Have You On Your Ass Gin_ , but it tasted like…

"Tea!" Regan gasped, appalled. "Mom, _really_?!"

Namiko giggled. "You know how I feel about the amount of alcohol you consume on a daily basis, sweetie. You need to drink more herbal liquids before you destroy your liver."

"My liver is perfectly fine." Regan replied through gritted teeth. "You planned this. C'mon mom, playing with my alcohol is like playing with my emotions. You know I hate tea!"

"I, however, do not." Shizuru said as she swiped the bottle from Regan's grasp and proceeded to finish the bottle. She was shaken by a surprise belch, and promptly raised her perfectly manicured fingers to her lips with a sheepish, "Excuse me."

Namiko found herself absolutely smitten with the honey-blonde. "Would you like to stay for dinner, darling?"

"Would you like to stay forever?" Regan replied with a naughty smirk. "You don't have to answer, Shiz. It's inevitable. You saw my baby pictures. I can't possibly let you leave after that, now could I?"

"Ara, will there be more tea?" The brunette asked, and received an earnest nod from Namiko. "Ara, I would love to."

Regan regretted even entertaining the notion. Now they'd never leave.

[]

Natsuki tied Duran's leash to a pole and kneeled in front of him. "I'll be right back, boy." She told him as she ran her fingers through the soft fur between his ears. He licked her cheek.

She'd already gotten Shizuru's icecream from the local hole in the wall vendor in the way, and she wanted to hurry so it wouldn't already be melted by the time she got home.

After making sure the rambunctious canine was secure, Natsuki stepped over the threshold of Ryoko's bar and slipped inside. The place had obviously seen better days. There were bullet holes all over the walls, bodies all over the floor, broken glass, forgotten articles of clothing strewn everywhere.

There were only about four employees in total. The sleazy bartender who had a habit of getting _himself_ drunk rather than catering to the customers. The cook who did nothing of the sort.

The lone waitress who really should be putting her punching skills to good use in a gym or something, and the janitor who liked to go around finishing forgotten glasses of beer and picking cold fries off of people's plates.

"Natsuki, hon, how are ya?" The waitress said as she approached the teenager, a fond smile on her lips. She's known Natsuki for years. Regan used to come by with her perched on top of her shoulders all of the time.

Although the bar was no place for a child, Ryoko's was special. There was beer and humor, and a distinctive homy atmosphere. "Hey, Sakura. I'm good. How 'bout you?" Natsuki replied.

Sakura obnoxiously smacked her gum. "Been better. How's ya daddy? She send you to come and do her dirty work again?"

Natsuki chuckled. "She's fine. And doesn't she always?"

Sakura laughed and shook her head. "That girl will never change. C'mon, we just got a fresh supply of Colt .45 straight from the States. Go ahead and take the whole thing. Your daddy's the only one who drinks 'em anyway."

The willowy blonde led Natsuki to the back room and gestured to the far right corner where a few packages labeled '45's' were stacked hazardously against the wall.

"This oughta keep her busy for a while." Natsuki mused out loud as she bent over to grab the crates of liquor.

"Knowing Regan she'll probably clean 'em out within the week." Sakura snorted and produced a small red blowpop from in between her breasts. "You need some help, darlin'?"

"Nah, I got it." Natsuki said.

Sakura walked the young woman to the door and leaned against it. "Come back soon now ya hear? I'll have Ichigo make ya somethin' to eat when ya do. Take care, Natsuki, and tell your daddy I said 'hello' alright?"

"I will. Thanks, Sakura." Natsuki replied. The older woman gave her a warm smile and a brief nod before disappearing back into the rowdy bar.

However, as soon as Natsuki began walking towards Duran, she ran smack dab into someone and nearly dropped her precious cargo. If it wasn't for the stranger's quick reflexes she might've dropped the beer and made quite a mess.

"Whoa, sorry about that." Natsuki said, her vision still slightly obscured by the crates.

"No harm, no foul. Is this your dog?" The voice obviously belonged to a woman. It was mature and very soft-spoken, only slightly above a whisper. Like Natsuki's it was husky and pure, but it had an indistinguishable undertone to it that sent shivers down Natsuki's spine.

She frowned slightly, thinking Duran had somehow gotten himself into another sticky situation. He had a habit of doing that. "Yeah, he didn't pee on or bite you, did he?"

The woman chuckled. "No, but you look like you could use a hand."

Natsuki was about to decline, but the woman had already made a move to assist her. She figured she needed the assistance anyway, unless she was okay with possibly running into a cop or a crackhead.

After the first two crates were removed from her stack, she was finally able to look at the mysterious stranger.

She was tall, really tall, possibly as tall as her father, who only missed the six-foot mark by mere centimeters. Her hair was incredibly long and incredibly dark and shiny. It was styled into some sort of fauxhawk complete with twin undercuts on both sides of her head.

Her ears and face were littered with piercings. She had three in her left brow alone, followed by a septum, double snakebites, twin microdermals, and a single horseshoe in her right eyebrow. Natsuki couldn't see any tattoos, but she'd bet money on their existence on this woman's body.

In all, she looked like the poster child of a teenage rebellion.

She was probably in her late teens to early twenties. And beautiful in a way that was considered bold to modern society.

"Judging from the fact that your dog is here instead of waiting in the car I can conclude that you came here on foot. Your house must not be far, no?" She said.

"Two blocks away. I didn't think she'd give me the entire supply." Natsuki replied sheepishly.

"It's not safe for such a pretty young thing to be parading about all by herself. Especially carrying alcohol. Allow me to accompany you."

"Oh no, It's no big deal. I can-"

"Oh, but I insist." The woman cooed. There was something about her word that was final. She had a commanding aura about her that implied arguing with her would be futile. "Cat got your tongue?" She mused when Natsuki grew silent.

"My dad told me not to talk to strangers unless they were asking for a light." Natsuki said lamely, drawing forth an amused chuckle from her dark-haired companion.

Shifting the crates into one arm, she stuck out a perfectly manicured hand complete with a set of black nails and the beginnings of some sort of tribal tattoo on her wrist. "Namikaze Shinobu. There, you know my name. Therefor I am no longer a stranger."

Natsuki was still a bit suspicious, but she couldn't deny the help and she figured if the woman tried something she and Duran could take her. "Kruger." She said finally, offering no elaboration.

The woman smirked but didn't press the issue. She understood why the girl offered no means of elaboration. She was still a stranger after all.

"Well, _Kruger_ ," Shinobu purred, "Lead the way, sweetheart."

Natsuki unhooked Duran's leash from the pole and ushered the dog forward. He leaned in close to Shinobu's ankle and gave her leather-clad figure a hearty sniff. When he was satisfied with what he smelled, he trotted ahead of the duo.

"Cute dog. Siberian Husky. Very beautiful as well as intelligent. Is he yours?" Shinobu asked.

"He used to be, but I gave him to my grandmother." Natsuki said. She didn't know why, but she felt like she could trust this woman. Well, trust was a strong word, but she felt like there was no harm in conversation. "She lives by herself so I thought she'd appreciate his company."

"That's very sweet of you. You look like someone who values family above all else."

Natsuki spared her a sideways glance. "How do you know that?"

Pursing her lips, Shinobu replied, "Just a feeling. Tell me, _Nat-su-ki,_ how far would you go for the ones you love?"

Natsuki faltered slightly and almost ran smack into a lampost as she gaped up at the woman who was slowly growing more and more unnerving by the second. Shinobu wasn't looking at her, but she could see the smirk on her lips.

"You knew my name this entire time." Natsuki realized, her green eyes burning with accusation.

"Perhaps." Was the nonchalant reply.

Natsuki quickly swerved around and put herself between the woman and the rest of the road. Her grandmother's house could be seen from the corner they were standing at. "Who're you really?" She demanded.

Shinobu was honestly slightly taken-aback at the girl's audacity. She hadn't been spoken to like that in decades. She was growing more and more interested in this girl with each passing second, each defiant flash of her beautiful eyes.

She bowed dramatically. "I've already told you. I am Namikaze Shinobu. I'll admit, I knew your name even before you ran into me."

"How?" Natsuki pressed.

Shinobu shrugged. "I heard it from your little waitress friend."

"Oh." Natsuki blushed and internally cursed Sakura for her loud mouth. Then she realized something. "Y-you played me!" She cried.

"How so?" Shinobu asked innocently.

"You knew my name this entire time!"

"We've already established that, _Nat-su-ki._ "

"Gah! Stop saying my name like that!" Natsuki barked. Only Shizuru had the right to do so. "You knew I wasn't just going to give you my name so you expected me to just give you my last name. Now you know my whole name! Exactly what I was trying to avoid!"

 _Smart and beautiful,_ Namikaze mused to herself as they continued walking again. You prove to be just as interesting as I initially thought, Kruger Natsuki. They walked in silence the rest of they way, and when they finally reached the veranda, Shinobu gently set the liquor down and crossed her arms.

"It seems as though our journey comes to an end," She said softly, almost dejectedly. She turned on her heel. "Farewell, Natsuki Kruger." She cooed over her shoulder.

"Wait."

Shinobu turned around to see Natsuki staring down at her from the veranda, a bottle of the precious liquor in her outstretched hand. "Here. It's the least I can do for you since you helped me carry it back, Shinobu Namikaze. If that is your real name." She added with a raised eyebrow.

Shinobu laughed beautifully and accepted the treat. "I assure you it is. But you never answered my question."

"About my loved ones?" Natsuki asked. Her companion nodded and reached down to pet Duran, who had taken it upon himself to sit near her leg. "I would do anything for them."

"Anything?" Namikaze echoed.

"Anything."

"Would you sacrifice everything if it meant their happiness?"

"Their happiness is everything to me." Natsuki said softly, briefly glancing toward the house where she could hear the gentle peels of merry laughter. She smiled. "I would go above and beyond just to see them smile… to see her smile…"

"I see." She sounded pleased with her answer, but didn't elaborate as to why. "May our paths cross again, Natsuki. Until next time."

Natsuki watched her go until she couldn't make out her statuesque shape any longer. "Yeah, seeya." She mused, picking up the crates and awkwardly shuffling into the house.

Natsuki shrugged off the entire encounter. There was a small possibility that she may see her again, but she wouldn't hang her hat on it. After all, you only meet someone like that _once_ in a lifetime, right?

Little did Kruger Natsuki know that this little encounter was the harbinger of greater things to come.

 **[]**

Namikaze hummed to herself as she popped open the bottle of Colt .45 and took a hearty sip. Her night had gone better than she expected. She had been in route to Ryoko's to shake their sleazy owner out of the five grand he owed her, but she was pleasantly surprised with what happened instead.

 _Natsuki Kruger._

The name was easy to remember and hard to forget. There was something about the fierce glint in Natsuki's eye that drew her in. She was truly something special.

"You won't believe the night I had." Namikaze said cheerily as she approached a woman who was standing on the corner, awaiting her arrival.

The woman- _girl really_ \- looked up at her with sparkling baby blue eyes, a rather odd color for a Japanese woman since their eye colors ranged from light browns to the darkest of blacks. She was wearing a sinfully short miniskirt, an off-the-shoulder black top, and a pair of dark heels.

However, this girl was no hooker.

"My Lord," She whispered, gracefully dipping her head, sending brilliant waves of chocolate brown hair cascading down her shoulder. She leaned up on her tippy toes to promptly kiss the dark-haired woman on her full red lips.

"Aoi." Shinobu greeted somewhat fondly. "Were you successful?"

"Of course, My Lord." Aoi smiled, extracting a wad of cash from the purse lying near her stilettos. "Negi D'Artai Homura no longer has control of the Shibuya District's washhouses. They now serve you, My Lord."

"Excellent as always, my dear." Namikaze swept the young woman into her arms and began heading westward, towards the penthouse she was currently 'renting.' Aoi deserved a… reward… for her excellent work.

"How did your night go, My Lord?" Aoi asked, snuggling into her master's side.

"I met the most interesting young woman." Namikaze said matter-of-factly. Then it occurred to her. Natsuki was young, young indeed, which meant the girl was still probably in high school. How interesting.

The remaining question was which one? There were only four possible choices. Natsuki looked like a troublemaker, but she couldn't possibly attend Cardair. She would've met her a long time ago if that were the case.

Windbloom and Gaderobe were out of the question as well. Natsuki didn't look like the prep school type. The only possible answer was Fuuka High, not quite a Windbloom or Gaderobe when it came to rules and regulations, but not quite as rowdy as Cardair.

She smiled softly and leaned down so that her mouth was level with her favorite girl's ear. "Aoi, how would you feel about attending high school?"

Aoi's eyes lit up at the question and she nodded furiously. "Yes… Yes! I mean, if My Lord wishes it…"

Laughing, Namikaze said, "Good, good. Because I need you to keep an eye on someone for me."

 **[]**

 _ **Sorry for the wait everyone! I hope this chapter is to your liking! I love reading your thoughts, I always encourage you to review!**_


	12. Chapter 12

**NO REST FOR THE WICKED**

 **CHAPTER TWELVE: NATSUKI**

 **BY (PLATINUM KUSH)**

 **"Those who never know true pain, will NEVER no true peace."**

 **PAIN, 'NARUTO'**

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:** For some reason my computer refuses to let me spell Reagan's name how I usually do, so please bear with me for the extra letter. It changes it back to 'Reagan' immediately after I type whatever follows.

 _ **[]**_

"I'm back!" Natsuki announced as she lugged the crates of liquor into the kitchen and deposited them on the counter. "Phew."

"Is all of that really necessary?" Her grandmother asked with an exasperated sigh. "I swear, that girl will be the death of me."

Natsuki snorted. "You and me both. What're you cooking?" She asked curiously, leaning over her grandmother's shoulder to try and catch a glimpse of tonight's meal. Her mouth watered just thinking about it.

No one's cooking compared to Namiko's. She was in her own category. There was good cooking and great cooking. Then there was Namiko's cooking. Natsuki remembered coming to her grandmother's after school let out with all of her friends in tow, eager for her grandmother's famous cookies.

"Your favorite," Namiko spared her a fond glance, "Sukiyaki with mayonnaise, on the side of course."

She watched her granddaughter's eyes light up with an amused chortle.

"Sometimes I think you like my daughter better than your own." Reagan said with a despondent pout as she entered the large, traditional kitchen in search of her liquor.

Namiko simply rolled her eyes.

"Oh yeah," Reagan cooed at her precious supply, "Come to daddy. Natsuki, hand me the can opener."

"Obaa-san's using it." The girl called as she abandoned the kitchen in favor of returning to the living room where Shizuru was resting comfortably on the couch with Duran's head in her lap.

With all of the grace and poise of a serpent or a petty thief, Reagan crossed the short distance between her and her mother and easily liberated the can opener from her grasp. Dodging her mother's annoyed swat, she returned to the table to open her first bottle.

When she was finished, she returned it to its rightful owner. Namiko sighed, though the action was teeming with barely suppressed affection.

"Thanks mom, love you," Reagan said, leaning down to kiss her on the head.

"Yeah, yeah," Namiko replied with a dismissive flip of her wrist, "Now why don't you make yourself useful and get the soy sauce out of the cabinet."

Reagan snickered to herself, but did what was asked of her. Her mother was far below average height and the cabinets were positioned so that a person who was of average height could reach them easily.

She got her height from her father, who stood at a staggering five-foot ten and a half even without shoes. The women of the Kruger family varied when it came to height.

Either you were incredibly tall or you were incredibly short, there wasn't really an in between unless you counted Natsuki, but her final height had yet to be determined because she was still growing.

Namiko reached for the soy sauce, but Reagan decided to play a bit dirty and held it high above her head, far out of reach, drawing forth another sigh from her mother.

"Nope, not until you say it back." She said childishly.

"Come now Reagan, are you thirty-three or thirteen?" The little woman rolled her eyes yet again.

"Roll them anymore and they'll fall out of your head." Reagan replied dryly. "Come on mom, don't leave me hanging."

"Fine," She sighed.

She suddenly jabbed her fingers into the sensitive place right in the center of Reagan's belly, causing the taller woman to fold in on herself with a grunt. When they were of relative equal height, Namiko happily liberated the soy sauce out of her troublesome daughter's grasp.

"I love you too, sweetheart."

Groaning while simultaneously trying to regain the precious oxygen she previously lost, Reagan said, "Playing dirty yet again I see."

"Look at the pot calling the kettle black," Her mother replied with a cheeky pat to her daughter's cheek, "I've been ridiculed about my height for years and know I say enough is enough."

"Okay, I'll stop." Reagan muttered breathlessly.

Her mother offered her a beaming smile. "Great, I'm glad we see eye to eye now."

She tried. She really tried. But she just couldn't help herself. Although her boisterous guffaws were cut short by another merciless jab to the gut.

 _ **[]**_

"Duran!" Natsuki exclaimed. "You're drooling all over her skirt."

The husky had the decency to close his mouth and look guilty as his piercing blue eyes briefly darted to the place where his saliva had soaked into his new favorite human's skirt.

"Ara, I don't mind," Shizuru said, "He's adorable."

He perked up at not receiving the reprimand he had envisioned and returned his head to her lap, shooting his former mistress a triumphant glare.

"He's alright." Natsuki sneered playfully.

Her father returned to the room a few moments later clutching her sore abdomen. She'd forgotten her mother was skilled in Tai Chi. She was in the military after all.

But it was nothing a bottle of Colt .45 couldn't fix.

She plopped in the chair with a comfortable sigh. "Want some?" She asked the pair of teenagers, and leaned forward to whisper, "Don't let your grandma see, though. I like having fingers."

Shizuru politely shook her head while Natsuki rolled her eyes.

"Ara, Natsuki?" The brunette tapped her girlfriend's shoulder after a few idle minutes of conversation. "Would your grandmother allow me to assist her?"

"Of course." She nodded.

Shizuru smiled and gently raised Duran's head out of her lap, much to the dog's dismay, and made her way into the kitchen. Duran whined and inched forward, intent on returning to his original position only in Natsuki's lap.

"Oh no you don't," Natsuki said, crossing her arms, "Traitor."

The dog rolled off the couch in exasperation and simply laid on the floor.

"Who's a traitor?" A new voice cut in as the stairs creaked slightly, indicating a new presence.

Reagan smacked her lips loudly. "Well, well, well, look who the cat dragged in on her face. Long time no see." She said to the newcomer, who was slowly being led down the stairs by Nina.

The woman had inherited the tall gene and only missed the six-foot mark by mere inches. Her hair, like most of the Krugers' was long and dark. Her sun-kissed skin gleamed under the dim-lightning of the living room, giving her some type of heavenly glow.

She was beautiful.

She smirked and tilted her head in Reagan's direction, but never truly met her eye to eye. Her gaze remained fixed straight ahead.

"I see you still have your sick sense of humor." She replied. "I'm surprised you haven't drank yourself to into a coma yet."

Reagan took another sip of her liquor. "I'll get there eventually."

"Dad, where do you want to sit?" Nina asked, looking up at the dark-haired woman expectantly.

"Wherever you feel like, baby," She said softly. Nina led her over to the couch where Natsuki was sitting and pushed her legs off from their stretched out position.

Natsuki grumbled something about rude people. "Hey, Riku." She said to her first cousin, who playfully saluted in greeting.

"Natsuki, it's good to hear your voice. How're you?" Riku said. "Your father treating you well?"

"Why does everyone seem to think I mistreat my child?" Reagan shook her head. "If anything it's the other way around. She's already turned my own mother against me."

Natsuki sighed; her father could be so dramatic.

"Dinner is ready." Namiko's gentle voice announced as she and Shizuru exited the kitchen with a plethora of plates in each of their grasps. "Hello, Riku. Are you feeling better?" She placed the back of her wrist on the woman's forehead.

"Alot better thanks to you. You're the best," She smiled charmingly.

"Oh Natsuki, be a dear and introduce Shizuru to your cousin." Namiko urged as she swiped her daughter's beer bottle out of her hand and placed it far out of reach.

"Who's Shizuru?"

"Natsuki's girlfriend." Nao interjected as she seemingly materialized from thin air.

"WOAH, Natsuki has a girlfriend?" Riku exclaimed. "No way. What's she look like?"

Shizuru was a bit confused. She was only standing a few feet away from the woman. "She can't see much. She's legally blind." Nao whispered helpfully.

"Why don't you let her touch your face to get a feel for you?" Reagan said to the honey-blonde.

"Don't listen to her, sweetheart. She was dropped on the head when she was younger. Only blind people in movies do that." Riku replied dryly.

"Anyway," Natsuki interrupted before an argument could take place. These two were famous for their banters. They could go for hours. She wrapped an arm around her girlfriend's shoulders. "Riku, this is my lovely girlfriend Shizuru. She looks like a model. Shizuru, this is my cousin Riku. She is a closeted psychopath." She whispered the last part in Shizuru's ear.

"Ara, it is a pleasure to meet you." Shizuru replied shyly.

"And she has manners! Nina, why couldn't you find someone as polite as she is?" She asked her daughter.

Nao rolled her eyes. "Oh, I'm rolling my eyes." She announced.

"I figured."

"How long have you two been dating?"

"Ara, only a few days." Shizuru replied.

Riku felt around for her hand and when she finally grasped it, she gave it a tight squeeze. "Welcome to the family, sweetheart. Anyone who can put up with those two longer than a few hours is great in my book."

"This entire family is insane, just letting you know." Nao interjected. "The only normal one is Duran."

The dog looked up from where he was sneering at his reflection in the full-length mirror near the staircase, and Nao face-palmed. "Never mind."

However insane they all were, Shizuru hoped she would be around forever. Looking at the playful mother-daughter banter between Namiko and Reagan, Natsuki and Nina, and Riku and Nao made her smile.

Would she and her daughters share the same playful, loving relationship? Would she and Natsuki be in the puppy-love stage forever? She placed her hand on her belly as a content smile blossomed on her perfect lips.

She would be adding to the 'insanity' in a few months.

 ** _[]_**

Dinner came to an unfortunate end a few hours later.

Namiko was crestfallen about the family of four's looming departure. It tugged at Shizuru's heartstrings to see the gentle soul in such a state. Reagan was trying her best to cheer her up.

"Don't give me that look," She said as her mother pouted, "You won't be alone. You have the dog, remember?"

"Duran is great and all, but he has a very limited vocabulary." Namiko replied.

"I was talking about Riku."

"Reagan." Namiko chided, jabbing the taller woman in the gut yet again. Reagan sighed; she should be able to see it coming by now. "Come home soon."

She knew her daughter had a rather demanding job and she felt a bit selfish trying to make her make room for her. She was a grown woman after all, with her own pack to take care of nonetheless, but she couldn't help but feel a bit lonely.

Riku and Duran's presence helped tremendously, but she did enjoy seeing different faces every now and then. Especially her daughter's. Reagan meant the world to her.

Reagan's eyes softened considerably as she swept her mother up in a bear hug. "I promise I'll come see you every chance I get. I'll even leave the beer here as a testament of how serious I am. Don't let Kenshi drink it, though."

"I heard that!" Riku bellowed from the living room. "I may be blind, but I'm not deaf."

Reagan rolled her eyes as she finally released the petite woman. "I'm serious," She whispered, "She uses her blindness as an alibi. She's still a threat."

"I'm confident I can take her." Namiko replied with an exasperated sigh as she moved over to her granddaughter and Shizuru. "Feel free to come by anytime, both of you. Shizuru, you're welcome over here anytime, darling."

Shizuru smiled beautifully as she and Natsuki simultaneously embraced the Kruger Matriarch. "Ara, thank you." She said.

"We'll be back soon, Obaa-san." Natsuki promised.

"Yo, granny," Nao said from the veranda. "Is it cool if Nina and I crash here for the night? She wants to stay with her dad and I'm going to savor the feeling of being able to eat something that isn't instant ramen and potato chips."

Namiko giggled. "Of course."

Nao disappeared back into the house with a triumphant grin.

Namiko and Duran walked the threesome to Reagan's Escalade. "I'll see you in a little while," Reagan flashed her a dashing grin, "You have to make my favorite dish then."

"I'll hold you to it." Namiko replied softly.

The Head of the Kruger Clan watched as the Escalade disappeared into the night. "Come back home soon." She repeated to herself, letting her gentle prayer be lifted and carried away by the nighttime breeze.

 _ **[]**_

"Man, I'm pooped," Natsuki said as the threesome finally returned home.

"Now I can get drunk in peace." Reagan said, relieved.

Shizuru yawned tiredly. All of the day's events, despite her mini vacation from school, had exhausted her beyond measure. She knew it was just the pregnancy, though. She excused herself to the bathroom.

Natsuki made a move to follow her up the stairs, but a strong yet gentle hand stopped her. "Dad?" She looked up at her father expectantly.

"Hold on a second, kid." The older woman muttered, momentarily disappearing down the hall before returning with a small black box in her hands. "I have something for you."

She offered the teenager the box, watching rather impatiently as the girl slowly inspected it. Natsuki's fingers glided across the fabric of the gift box for a few seconds before she finally opened it.

Her pretty green eyes widened in awe as she saw what was inside. It was a necklace. The chain of the necklace glittered like white diamonds, each link was specially designed to resemble tiny fangs, and tiny letters were engraved into each and every one. And attached to the chain was a gorgeous pendant that sparkled under the bright lights of the living room.

The pendant was long and curved black diamond that resembled a claw or fang of some sort. She squinted her eyes, trying to piece together the message written in intricate cursive along its curve.

" _Ōkami wa kanojo jishin no tame ni teikyō shimasu_ ," She whispered aloud. " _The wolf provides for her own_. Dad…" She trailed off, unable to convey her gratitude into coherent words.

Reagan scratched the back of her head somewhat shyly. "I know I don't tell you enough, but I'm so proud of you, Natsuki. The person you are now, and the amazing person you'll be in the future."

She swallowed down the rush of emotion trying to break through her nonchalant barriers, deciding to hide the pain she carried inside with a smile. She poked her daughter in the forehead, forcing her own watery green eyes to lock with her own.

And when she did, she tangled her fingers into the hair on Natsuki's head and brought their faces close together.

"Thank you." Reagan blurted out.

Natsuki sniffled slightly. "For what?"

"For letting me be your father. For being my daughter. I'm the proudest dad in the world. Thank you." She chuckled breathlessly. "Thank you!"

"Damn it," Natsuki cursed as a tear slipped down her cheek on its own accord.

Reagan was about to tease her for it, but she found herself in the same predicament when one slipped down her cheek too.

She took the necklace from her daughter's stunned form and slipped it around her neck. The pendant was perfectly tight around it, resting against her collarbone. "Would you believe me if I told you I made this. Took me two whole years, you know."

Like her mother had been doing to her all day, Reagan jammed her two fingers into her daughter's gut, only a lot gentler. "Better not lose it, you hear? I practically sold my soul to get the materials!"

Natsuki did something between a giggle and a cough. "I won't! I promise! Thank you!" She swore.

"Now run along. There's a naked girl upstairs. Don't go missing opportunities now." She grinned wolfishly. Natsuki laughed and darted for the staircase. When Reagan was sure she heard the door close, the cheerful expression she wore morphed into one of tired defeat and sorrow.

Bastard, she thought furiously as a pair of dark eyes on a face nearly identical to hers appeared in her mind, even dead you still manage to somehow ruin my life.

"I wish you were alive so I could kill you myself," The normally jovial woman muttered darkly, " _Father._ "

 _ **[]**_

 **End of part one.**

 **Chapter Preview:**

 _Natsuki takes Shizuru to a private clinic for her first ultrasound. Another new student somehow manages to complicate Natsuki's life even further. Namikaze is determined to get Natsuki on her side, Reagan tries not to dwell on the inevitable._

 _Reito confesses his feelings to Tate, and Shizuru struggles with the anxiety of not becoming a worthy mother._

 _Reviews are welcome and much appreciated. Until next time._


	13. Chapter 13

**NO REST FOR THE WICKED**

 **CHAPTER THIRTEEN: WE'RE HAVING WHAT!?**

 **By: (PLATINUM KUSH)**

 **"Three heads, six hands, six legs, three heartbeats. Three heads, six hands, six legs, three heartbeats. Three heads, six hands, six legs, three heartbeats. Oh. My. God."**

 **CURVE BALLS, "LIFE"**

 **[]**

Viola Shizuru had always been confident about her appearance. Why wouldn't she be? Her beauty was often times indescribable. Mere words such as gorgeous or stunning didn't seem to do her any justice.

But she didn't feel beautiful at the moment as she stared at her mostly naked reflection in the mirror of Natsuki's bathroom. Clad in only a pair of fancy lingerie and a matching bra, her body, more specifically her belly, was bare for all the world to see.

She was only about eight or nine weeks along, but she was already beginning to show significantly. Her belly wasn't the flat, smooth expanse of skin it had been before.

It was round and hot to the touch. If she turned to the side the change was obvious, already it was beginning to bulge over her waistline, which had also expanded. Her hips were widening, her breasts growing bigger by the day.

Yes, her figure was blossoming. Yes, her skin was beginning to attain that 'pregnancy glow' many women raved on about. Yes, being a mother was something to be happy and excited about.

But she couldn't help but feel a bit self-conscious about her rapidly changing appearance, and not to mention the strain it put on her young body.

The breathlessness, the tenderness in her breasts, the fatigue, the constipation, the frequent urination…

Her fingers ghosted over her belly. It was hot to the touch and incredibly soft. It was hard to believe she was carrying another life inside of her still. It all seemed too surreal.

"Shizuru?"

The brunette snapped out of her trance and covered herself as best as she could with only her arms. She suddenly felt like she was about to cry. She didn't want Natsuki to see her like this. What if she was disgusted with what she saw?

What if she didn't think she was beautiful anymore? What if she didn't want to touch her anymore, kiss her, hug her, love her?

"Shizuru?" Natsuki called again, worried now. "Is everything okay?"

No, everything was not okay. She was getting fat. Her appetite was far from lady-like. She couldn't keep anything down. She was bloated, constantly in pain from the strain her belly put on her back.

"I'm coming in, okay?"

No, she didn't want Natsuki to see her! She quickly locked the door with a muffled sob, and leaned against it heavily as she was suddenly wracked with insecure thoughts.

She slid down to the cold floor and pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them and burying her face into the soft skin of her arms.

"Shizuru?!" Natsuki's voice was incredibly worried now. Her fists beat against the doorframe in her desire to get inside. "Open the door."

"No," Shizuru moaned, "Please go away."

"You know that isn't going to happen," Natsuki replied earnestly, "Why are you crying, Shizuru?"

"Because I'm hideous." Shizuru almost spat the word out, startling herself at such a display of ferocity. "I'm fat and I'm disgusting!"

Natsuki's weight momentarily disappeared from the door. Shizuru felt her heart sink. Had she scared the girl away with her sudden mood swings? But before she could blame herself for Natsuki's equally sudden departure, the doorknob jingled.

It continued to do so for a few moments before the door suddenly creaked open, and Natsuki's slender form tumbled in after a miscalculation of her weight against it.

The tool in which she used to pick the lock fell from her grasp and skirted across the marble floor, already forgotten.

Shizuru gasped as she was swept into her strong arms and cradled against an equally strong chest. Tears streamed down her cheeks as her own arms rose to wind around Natsuki's neck.

"Don't ever call yourself such horrible things." Natsuki growled. "You could never be anything but perfect to me. Why would you even think like that?"

She gestured to her body. "Can't you see? I'm-"

"Stop it!"

Natsuki's arms tightened around her. Her eyes widened; Natsuki had never raised her voice at her before. "You're the most beautiful girl in the world to me. Your body's changing, yes, but that's only because it's working to bring someone just as beautiful as you into the world."

She peeled herself back from Natsuki's chest so she could look into her eyes. She was baffled with what she saw. There were tear tracks on Natsuki's cheeks as well.

"Please don't feel bad about your body, Shizuru. It won't make me care about you any less. It's only going to make the things I feel for you strengthen even more. In a few months you're going to give me the best thing a woman could ever ask for. Why would I ever think of you as anything less than perfect?"

"Natsuki." Shizuru cried again and pressed her tear-stained face into Natsuki's neck. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Don't ever be sorry for having my baby." Natsuki replied softly. "You two are my world, you know? It doesn't spin without you guys in it. I'll never leave you, either of you, as long as I'm still breathing I will never abandon you."

 _I think I love her_ , Shizuru thought as she closed her eyes and allowed Natsuki's warmth and gentle heartbeat to calm her raging emotions.

She felt one of Natsuki's hands come under the bend of her knees while the other rested along the curve of her back, effortlessly lifting her into her arms. She glided out of the bathroom and gently deposited her on the bed.

But before she could let go completely, Shizuru's hands tangled into the fabric of her hoodie bunched up near her abdomen. "Natsuki," Shizuru whispered as she rose to rest on her knees on the edge of her bed.

Her arms came around Natsuki's neck once more. Her eyes darkened with an emotion Natsuki was quite familiar with; lust.

"Please," Shizuru pleaded, "Make me feel beautiful."

Nodding against her forehead, the dark-haired girl disentangled Shizuru's arms from around her neck so she could remove her hoodie and undershirt, leaving her in just a black and white Nike sports bra.

She leaned in for a kiss, which Shizuru eagerly accepted as she began to undo the belt and zipper of Natsuki's ripped denim jeans. Everything was going at a much slower pace than usual. Natsuki was touching her like she was worshipping her body.

She loved it.

She cupped her breasts, teasingly brushing her thumbs over her nipples, ran her fingers along the soft planes of her back, belly, and hips.

Natsuki lowered her down to the bed and crawled on top of her, straddling her thighs as she undid her bra in one swift motion. Shizuru's breasts were definitely bigger. They used to be able to fit in her hands, but now she found she wasn't able to completely grasp them.

"This is what you do to me." Natsuki said, placing one of Shizuru's hands on her chest, right on her heart, and the other on her groin that seemed to grow in girth as soon as she touched it. "Pregnant or not. No one else has ever made me feel this way."

Shizuru felt a flush come to her cheeks as she tangled her hands in Natsuki's hair, forcing her down to her level. "I feel the same way," She said softly, "I- I am yours."

"And I am yours."

Suddenly, she lay naked before a pair of eyes that seemed to glow in the dark room. Natsuki quickly stripped herself of her own clothes before she leaned over to gently brush her lips across Shizuru's heated forehead.

She rested her hands on either side of the brunette's head, easily guiding herself into Shizuru's soaking wet core. They both moaned at the intrusion.

Indeed, it was going at a much slower pace than their usual rough riding, but there were no complaints on either end. The only sounds in the room were their quiet moans and the erotic timber of skin slapping against skin.

Natsuki's thrusts were slow and meaningful. The deep penetration allowed her to press against Shizuru's cervix each and every time. She took Shizuru's earlobe in between her teeth, tugging hard enough to apply pressure but not enough to cause pain.

Shizuru's hands disappeared inside her hair. She massaged her scalp using long, sweeping strokes with her fingertips, moving upwards toward the base of her neck and kneading the area using firm, upward strokes with her thumbs.

It drove Natsuki crazy.

The sweeping action was both soothing but seductive, and incredibly sensual at the same time. She knew she wouldn't last much longer.

Natsuki leaned down to give her another quick kiss before she slipped out completely. Shizuru moaned at the loss.

"Get on your knees and turn around." Natsuki whispered against her lips.

Shizuru felt another spike of arousal shoot through her as she did what she was told. Arching her back, she rested her weight on her elbows. Natsuki's fingers ran up her thighs teasingly as she repositioned herself back inside her girlfriend's smooth channel, sliding back inside with ease.

Shizuru honestly loved the doggy-style position. It may seem like Natsuki had all control, but it was actually the other way around. Arching her back more or less let her control the depth.

It allowed her to control the range of motion, and it allowed Natsuki to hit her G-spot with deadly accuracy.

But Natsuki didn't settle for it. She pulled Shizuru onto her lap. She was now sitting on Natsuki's member in a unique reverse riding position.

"Natsuki." She moaned.

Natsuki's breathless chuckle caressed the sensitive skin on the back of neck. It felt like she was stretching her out in ways she never thought possible. Every inhale and exhale seemingly making her walls clench all over the muscle lodged into her core.

"I don't think I'm going to last much longer," Natsuki muttered as her hands came up to fondle her breasts. "I feel like I'm about to explode."

Shizuru brought her hands up to stroke the back of Natsuki's head as they began moving in unison. Natsuki's nails raked all over her flesh, sending white-hot tendrils of fire coursing through her veins.

Feeling her orgasm quickly approaching, Natsuki gently bent Shizuru over and folded herself over her back, never once breaking their intimate embrace. Her fingers found register in Shizuru's back dimples.

Half a minute. Half a minute was all it took for them to find release.

Pale liquids dribbled from their conjoined pelvises, sweat made their heated skin glisten under the dim lighting of the bedroom.

"I've always wanted to try that position." Natsuki said breathlessly, scooping Shizuru's fringe out of the way so she could kiss her forehead. She gently pulled out and wiped her completely milked appendage off with a tissue before doing the same to Shizuru.

It was an incredibly sweet gesture. Shizuru watched as she took ultimate care to clean her thighs, and when she was finished she rested her cheek on Shizuru's chest, listening to her deep heartbeat while her fingers glided over the place where her unborn child slept.

"Thank you, Natsuki." Shizuru said, lovingly kissing her head.

Natsuki just smiled and took her hand. They lay in peaceful silence until sleep finally claimed them.

 **[]**

The next morning brought smiles with it.

Shizuru was feeling much better, joyful, happy even as she glided around Natsuki's room in search of something to wear. Natsuki was still sleeping. Sprawled out among the covers like a naughty child with her elbow thrown over her eyes and her hair hanging off the bed.

Shizuru showered and dressed in record time.

She was suddenly brimming with energy and life. Her morning sickness had been particularly difficult to handle earlier in the day, but she hadn't felt even remotely nauseous since.

She slipped on a beautiful light brown long-sleeved cashmere dress and a pair of heels only a shade or so darker. She applied her usual light coating of makeup, (eyeliner, mascara, and lip gloss), and lightly curled her hair.

When she was satisfied with her appearance, she glided over to the bed and promptly sat on Natsuki's waist. "It's time to wake up, darling." She murmured, playfully biting Natsuki's earlobe.

Natsuki stirred slightly, her green eyes slowly cracking open. She was pleasantly delighted with the sight she woke up to, her girlfriend looking absolutely stunning and radiant.

"Good-morning," Natsuki said softly.

"Good-morning." Shizuru replied. She removed herself from Natsuki's back and tugged on her hand. "Natsuki has to get ready for school."

Natsuki rubbed her eyes. "Actually, there's somewhere I want to take you before we go to school."

"Oh?"

Sitting up, Natsuki said, "I know a place where we can get your ultrasound done, secretly of course. My cousin's wife owns a clinic near the Shibuya district. I called her last night before I came up here and made an appointment."

Shizuru's eyes softened at Natsuki's thoughtfulness. "Ara, then Natsuki better hurry and get dressed so that she can meet her baby, no?"

With a bump in her step, Natsuki quickly got ready for the day, dressing in an ash grey hoodie, blue skinny jeans, and a pair of black, white and grey Nike Air-Max 90's. She grabbed her bag and pulled her girlfriend into a proper kiss now that her teeth were brushed and her breath was fresh.

"I can't wait." She said as she leaned down to kiss her unborn daughter good-morning too. "I bet she's in there raising hell already."

"Ara, only a little." Shizuru replied with an amused giggle.

"That's my girl. But take it easy on your mom, okay?" She affectionately pat Shizuru's belly once more.

Together the soon-to-be parents walked out of the room looking like they were heading to a photoshoot rather than a sleazy private clinic. Natsuki's father was downstairs sitting in front of the TV, seemingly enraptured in whatever was showing on the screen.

"Hey dad," Natsuki said as she and Shizuru entered the kitchen in search of something to eat.

"Ara, good-morning, Reagan." Shizuru added.

"Morning," Reagan replied. She looked like she only woke up recently. Her long, dark hair was tousled, her bangs falling into her eyes. She usually swept them out of the way, but she didn't seem to care at the moment.

The hairstyle made her look younger and even more attractive if that were possible, like a roguish teenager or a female human Inuyasha.

"What're you watching?" Natsuki asked once the couple had their food.

"The Diary of Empress Teimei," Reagan replied, "It's hard to believe she managed to hide her pregnancy for so long with countless servants tending to her."

Shizuru knew of the Empress' history somewhat, but she had never heard of her hidden pregnancy. Sensing her skeptical expression, Natsuki said, "Empress Teimei had an affair with my great-great grandfather, Kaguya Kruger, and had a daughter, Michiko."

"Ara?" Shizuru blinked.

"Yup," Reagan added, "We're royalty. Haven't you ever heard the story of the Half-blood Princess? Or the Forgotten Heir?"

Shizuru shook her head.

"Well, my mother is the daughter of Michiko Kruger, the Forgotten Heir of the Japanese Empire. Empress Teimei gave Michiko to Kaguya shortly after having her, trying to protect her from the Emperor's wrath in case he ever found out about her. Michiko died in the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki when mom was young." Reagan explained.

"When she received that scar." Shizuru remembered, drawing forth a nod from the older woman.

"She probably forgot to mention that she got it protecting one of the nurses in her squad, shielding her from melted steel with her body. My dad was the one who rescued her. Carried her through six miles of devastation to the place we were the other day, nursed her back to health, knocked her up, and thus, the greatest gift to mankind was born; me." Reagan said with an impish grin.

Natsuki rolled her eyes. "Obaa-san's known as the _Half-Blood Princess_ to almost everyone in Japan. But don't let dad hear you say that. I've lost count of how many times she's punched someone for saying it."

"So my Natsuki is heir to the Dai Nippon Teikoku." Shizuru trailed her finger down Natsuki's arm teasingly. "Does that make me the next Queen?"

She caught her finger and pressed a gentle kiss to the tip. "Of course."

"Ugh, get a room." Reagan growled.

"We've already exhausted it." Natsuki shot back.

Reagan rolled her eyes. "Just go before I choke on the vomit I feel manifesting in my gut."

Forty minutes later Shizuru and Natsuki were stepping off of the latter's bike and walking hand-in-hand to the private clinic known as Hime.

A young woman sitting at the desk looked up upon hearing the clacking of Shizuru's heels on the marble floors. "Do you have an appointment?" She asked boredly.

"Kruger." Natsuki said, pulling Shizuru into her side.

"Okay, here we go. Doctor Lu is already waiting for you."

"Thanks."

Smiling at her obviously nervous girlfriend in what she hoped was a reassuring manner, Natsuki led the girl down the winding hallways to a room at the very end of the clinic labeled 'maternity' and knocked on the door.

"Come in," A sweet voice cooed from the other side.

Natsuki squeezed her hand as she pushed open the door. They were immediately met by a beautiful young woman who seemed to be in her mid twenties to early thirties. She had short dirty blonde hair and lovely light blue eyes.

"Natsuki!" She cried, throwing her arms around the young woman's neck, completely missing the death-glare Shizuru sent her. "You're so cute. You look just like your daddy."

Natsuki chuckled nervously. "Hey Anh, long time no see. Thanks, and this is my girlfriend, Shizuru."

Anh looked her up and down, pleased with what she saw. "Honey, you're flawless." She said, earnestly. "I'll save the pleasantries for later. I know you both are eager to meet your baby, shall we?"

She directed Shizuru onto the bed and gently propped her up. "Have you eaten anything during the last eight hours?" Anh asked.

Shizuru politely shook her head. "I've only had a couple of cups of tea."

"Good. Undigested food can block the sound waves." Anh said informatively. She then hiked up Shizuru's dress and applied a special lubricating jelly to the smooth skin of her abdomen. "Might be a little cold."

Natsuki watched intently from the side, her eyes wide like a curious child's. Anh grabbed the transducer and ran it along Shizuru's slick belly, her own eyes never leaving the monitor.

"The transducer sends high-frequency sound waves through your body. The waves echo as they hit dense objects, such as organs or bones. These echoes are then reflected back into the computer. The sound waves are at too high of a frequency for the human ears to hear."

"And here is your baby."

Anh gestured to the tiny circular objects in the very center of the screen, frowning slightly when she noticed something peculiar. Shizuru picked up on instantly. "What's wrong?" She asked, alarmed.

Anh's face softened slightly. "Or should I say babies."

"Babies?" Natsuki echoed.

Anh nodded, now sporting a wicked smile. She pointed to the screen. "Look here; there are two fetal sacks instead of one, as well as multiple heartbeats. Congradulations! You're having twins!"

"T-twins?" Natsuki echoed stupidly again. Anh nodded.

And Natsuki fainted.

 **[]**

 **Come on Natsuki! Don't be such a wimp! Puff out your chest and announce to the world, "I fucked my girl good enough to knock her up with twins."**

 **Chapter Preview: Natsuki can't seem to fathom the idea of having twins, Shizuru can't either. Anh thinks it's adorable. Reito really works up the courage to confess to Tate and Namikaze's little puppy attaches herself to Natsuki's pant's leg.**


	14. The Problem With Humans is:

**NO REST FOR THE WICKED**

 **Chapter XIV: Inception**

 **"The trouble is, you think you have time."**

 **XXX**

"Natsuki!"

She could hear someone calling her name, multiple voices actually, and feel smooth fingertips glide across the soft skin of her forehead. A hand cupped her cheek, loose strands of hair fell onto her lips and stuck to the gloss covering them as their owner leaned over her prone form.

"I think she's coming to," Another voice said, "Give her some space, sweetie."

She groaned as the initial shock began to wear off. Eyes the color of green diamonds slowly cracked open. It took a few moments for the blurriness to subside, and the fogginess of her mind steadily began to evaporate until she could finally make sense of her predicament.

"Shizuru?" Natsuki called, panicking slightly.

Why was she on the floor? How did she get there? Did she fall? Did she hit her head? And Why the hell was her eccentric cousin Anh Lu leaning over her wearing the smuggest, most amused expression she'd ever seen in her life?

"I'm here." Shizuru's voice cooed into her ear.

She was sitting with her legs folded beneath her to Natsuki's left, a worried frown etched on her beautiful features. "What the hell happened?" Natsuki whined, rubbing her temples.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Anh inquired, making no effort to hide the bemused undertone in her light voice.

Good question. What was the last thing she remembered? She wracked her brain for any possible explanations, and when it finally hit her, she suddenly felt the need to faint all over again.

"Oh no you don't." Anh said, roughly pinching her cheeks to prevent Natsuki from doing so.

"T-twins," Natsuki mumbled, "We're having twins!"

Shizuru chuckled. "I'm aware." The smile she wore was equal parts shocked and nervous, but also teeming with inexplicable joy. "Now we won't be forced to decide on a single name. You get your 'Keira' and I get my 'Kaiya'."

"Those are wonderful names." Anh swooned. She didn't have any kids yet, but she loved the idea of them as well as them in general.

Natsuki grinned shyly as she placed her hand on the gentle swell of her girlfriend's belly. Not only was she going to be a father, but a father of twins! The _first_ pair of twins in the Kruger clan. Her excitement increased tenfold.

Although, her father would probably kill her _twice_ as hard. A single child was expensive, and the addition of another would only add to it. But her father made enough money to support her and Natsuki for the rest of her lives in a single month.

Of course she'd get a job as well. She couldn't fathom the idea of sitting around the house doing nothing while her dad worked her ass off supporting her daughter, her daughter's girlfriend, her granddaughters, and her ill childhood friend's daughter.

"When do you plan on telling your father about this?" Anh inquired as she glided over to the corner of the room where a pitcher of cold water sat on a deserted table.

That was another thing. They'd postponed such important information because Shizuru was terrified Reagan would react the same way her father did, but that was only because she'd hardly known the woman then.

She'd probably be angry. She'd probably yell and ground them both until they forgot what freedom was. But she'd never sentence her only daughter to life on her own over an honest mistake.

Reagan loved Natsuki more than life itself. Natsuki knew that. Shizuru knew that. Anh knew that. Anyone and everyone who'd ever had the pleasure of seeing them together knew that.

"Whenever you feel comfortable." Natsuki told her girlfriend, and grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly. "She might kill me, but it'll be worth it. She'll be excited to be a grandfather."

Shizuru's eyes softened as an image of their eccentric guardian playing with their twin daughters popped into her head. They'd love her for sure. She had certain charming silliness that was both amusing and endearing. Not many people possessed such a carefree, laidback nature as she.

"I'm ready." Shizuru replied sincerely.

Anh clapped her hands in delight. She thought the two made a lovely couple. She hoped they stayed together for the rest of their young lives. It was early, but even the ditzy Anh Lu could see something magical blossoming when she observed the way they interacted.

"Let's continue with the ultrasound, ne?" She said. "Let's make sure everything is coming along nicely. Twins can be very tricky."

Natsuki kissed the back of her girlfriend's hand and returned to the chair beside the observation table. After another fifteen minutes everything was complete. Anh gave the couple pictures of their babies, affectionately labeled 'Natsuki Jr.'s'.

She made enough so that both Reagan and Reito could each have two, and Nao as well if she desired.

Natsuki's phone buzzed in her pocket while Anh was happily chatting with Shizuru. It was from her father.

 **Dad,**

 _Some idiot got his hand stuck in a rotating engine. Apparently, I'm the only one who's capable of getting the bastard out. I don't know when I'll be back so don't wait up, okay?_

Natsuki frowned.

 **Natsuki,**

 _Aw, okay. But I have something to tell you when you get home so don't leave me hanging for too long._

The little grey bubbles indicated her father was in the middle of typing her response. She thought she'd be reading a paragraph by the end of it, and was more than a little annoyed at what was actually there.

 **Dad,**

 _Is it important?_

 **Natsuki,**

 _Yeah._

 **Dad,**

I _f you get tired of waiting just text it to me. I'll keep my phone on me. Is there something wrong, Natsuki?_

 **Natsuki,**

 _No, but it's something you should know. Come home as soon as you can though, okay? I love you._

 **Dad,**

 _I love you too, kid._

"What's wrong?" Shizuru asked as her conversation with Anh finally ended moments later. She hugged Natsuki's arm to her chest and rested her chin on her shoulder.

"Dad had to go take care of something at work, but she'll be back later. We'll tell her then, okay?" Natsuki replied, winding an arm around her waist.

Shizuru nodded, and practically joined at the hip, the soon-to-be parents slowly made their way out of the clinic. "Is Lu-san Nina's mother?" Shizuru asked timidly, not wanted to cause offense. She wasn't entirely sure because Anh looked relatively young, but so did Reagan, and she was a parent.

Natsuki snorted. "No, Anh's married to my other cousin, Revy." She then leaned in close and covered her mouth with her hand, as if she had a secret. "Nina's mom's a nun."

"Ara?"

Natsuki nodded, taking her girlfriend's raised eyebrow as an indication of disbelief rather than the simple gesture it was. "She works at the church near the school. Yukariko. She's the really pretty one with the short hair, blue eyes, and the beauty mark."

Shizuru's mouth formed an 'o' in realization. "Sister Yukariko Sanada." She was familiar with the pretty little blonde. She'd had pleasant little conversations with her in the past. She'd have never guessed it.

"She and Riku had Nina when they were both eighteen, and you know Yukariko being a nun and an avid follower of God and religion or whatever forced Riku into a marriage because having a child with someone who isn't your spouse is considered a sin." Natsuki explained.

"Ara," Shizuru blinked, "They don't look anything alike."

"You're telling me," Natsuki huffed, "But Krugers have strong genes, which is why my dad and I look so much alike, and Nina's practically the spitting image of Riku. They even had the same eyes before, you know."

"Riku-san wasn't always blind?" Shizuru inquired as she threw her leg over Natsuki's bike and reached for the helmet. She'd have never guessed that either. Riku wore her blindness like it was all she knew.

"Nah, she's only been blind for five years now. She wanted to be a boxer all her life, but everything went to shit when she was diagnosed with glaucoma. I think Nina was only eight then.

Riku couldn't take care of Nina. How could she when she needed taking care of herself? Her and 'Riko were never really in love, and the divorce was inevitable."

"Poor thing." Shizuru sympathized. She couldn't imagine what that felt like, being forced to give up your dreams.

"Yeah, Obaa-san took her in when no one else would. Everyone believed she drove Yukariko away with her bitterness. She didn't even defend herself. My dad was the only one who did. Eventually, Yukariko got married again to a pastor named Sergay Wang. He's a real douche, though."

"Ara, Sergay Wang, head of one of the holiest, religious families in Japan, the Ancient and Most Noble House of Wang." Shizuru said effortlessly. Being apart of one of the most powerful families in the nation meant she'd fraternized with the most elite of the elite.

"Yeah," Natsuki sighed. "He got that scar on his forehead from my dad. Punched him right in the middle of one of his ceremonies for bad-mouthing Riku and the family. Said our entire existence is the most abominable of abominations. Ah, good times."

"How noble of her." Shizuru smiled. "Is there anyone left in Japan that your father hasn't punched?"

"Heh, I doubt it." Was the amused reply.

Natsuki parked the motorcycle in the first available spot she could find and helped ease her girlfriend off of it. School had only been in session for about an hour, and with the morning classes they never missed much.

She quickly walked Shizuru to class and bid her a farewell and a kiss on the lips before trotting downstairs to the lower level.

"You're late." Midori sneered in a very Snape-like fashion as Natsuki tried to sneak in while her back was turned. "You know the drill."

"Sit down and at least pretend to work if someone important comes in." Natsuki recited effortlessly.

"Very good." Midori said, returning to her rather inappropriate magazine. Natsuki clambered over backpacks and outstretched legs to get to her seat and plopped down in her chair. Her friends flashed her curious looks.

"We got a new kid." Chie barked as soon as she sat down. "Came in earlier while you were off doing god knows what. and she's HOT!" She tilted her head to the back of the classroom where indeed a stunning brunette with long chocolate hair and straight bangs sat gazing out the window.

Her blue eyes suddenly turned and met Natsuki's green. She seemed to be studying her. After a moment or so she smiled beautifully and offered her a playful wave. Natsuki awkwardly waved back and turned around.

Unnaturally cheery, she labeled the girl.

"Aw come on!" Chie groaned and slapped her forehead in frustration rather harshly. "What the hell was that?"

Natsuki raised an eyebrow. "What's your problem?"

"YOU, _you_ are my problem!" She said, pointing a finger in accusation. "Always stealing the hot chicks! You glance at her and get a flirty wave, I SMILE AND WINK AT HER AND I GET A FREAKING EYE-ROLL."

Natsuki blinked.

Tate put his phone down and turned around to glance at his friends. "You get all the hoes without even trying, dog. Save some for the rest of us."

Sighing, Natsuki leaned back and crossed her arms. Who the hell needed 'hoes' when you already had all you could ever want?

And twins.

 **XXX**

Senoh Aoi didn't have any trouble finding Natsuki despite her mistress' rather vague description of the girl. But like Namikaze said;

Those eyes don't lie.

And they certainly didn't. When Natsuki turned to catch a glimpse of the pretty young new girl, Aoi saw a fire in her eyes that wasn't present in any mere human's. She was excited for the opportunity her mistress had given her, and she would not disappoint.

So when the bell rang and that troublesome girl with the short hair and glasses tried to make her way over to her, who Aoi easily avoided by melding with the crowd, she was determined to avoid her at all costs.

She followed Natsuki for a bit until she came to a stop in front of one of the classes on the upper levels. A multitude of faces strode out, each and every one of them casting flirtatious glances at the dark-haired young woman, who only rolled her eyes in response.

Aoi leaned against a locker and watched intently as a gorgeous young woman with long, flowing chestnut-blonde hair came out after the dejected group of admirers. She watched as Natsuki's cool features morphed into a genuine, adoring smile.

The girl's arms wound around Natsuki's waist, her cheek came to rest on her left shoulder. Natsuki might've been asking her questions because the girl would either nod or shake her head every once and a while.

 _How interesting,_ Aoi thought as her perspicuous azure gaze carefully dissected each and every subtle movement the couple made.

In the crowded hallway, they may have seemed like any other affectionate couples with their secretive whispers and affectionate touches to any wandering eyes, but Aoi knew better.

Her perception and her ability to read situations, even if they appeared to be completely normal. She wasn't Namikaze's head girl and personal favorite for nothing.

Natsuki's sweetheart eventually excused herself to attend her next class, and Aoi saw it as the perfect opportunity to make her move. The hallways thinned out as other students quickly dispersed, but Natsuki was seemingly in no hurry whatsoever.

She was certainly taking her time walking as slow as she was. She made sure to keep her distance as she continued to tail the dark-haired teenager down various hallways, up tons of stairways and through a multitude of pathways.

Aoi frowned. She was starting to get a bit fatigued. Sure she did a lot of walking and running in heels, but she wasn't immune to the toll it brought on petite body.

Natsuki rounded a corner and Aoi followed.

However, when she stepped around the worn pillar, she got something she wasn't quite expecting. Natsuki was standing in the very center of the hallway with her arms crossed, wearing a deeply perplexed frown.

"Will you quit it?" She demanded.

Aoi blinked as Natsuki steadily approached her. "Huh?"

"Stop following me," Natsuki barked, "It's really creeping me out. What the hell do you want?"

 _She knew I was following her this entire time_ , Aoi mused, amused and a little impressed. _Either she is perceptive or I let myself get too careless._

Aoi grinned beautifully and clasped her hands together behind her back. "I have something for you, actually." She sing-songed.

"Huh?" Natsuki made a face. "You have something for me? You barely know me!"

Aoi giggled and reached into her bag. "It's not from me," Was the light reply as the girl extracted a large bottle of Colt .45 from her purse. She pressed it eagerly into Natsuki's arms.

"W-what…!" Natsuki's eyes frantically searched the hallway for any wandering eyes or faculty members. If they witnessed what was happening now she'd be suspended for sure! "Are you crazy!?"

Aoi just might be, but she wasn't going to tell Natsuki that. She just smiled in response as she turned on her heel. "Wait, why're you giving me liquor?!" Natsuki demanded. She didn't even like Colt .45.

"I'm only the messenger," Aoi replied softly.

And with one last impeccable smile, the brunette disappeared around the corner, leaving a flabbergasted Natsuki in her wake.

Returning the favor? We've only just met…

Natsuki glanced at the bottle in her hands, absently twirling it around as she tried to dissect the elusive new girl's motives. It was then she noticed something was attached to the bottom of the bottle. It was a sticky note, and written on it in elegant cursive was a message.

 _I hope you enjoy my little present. Consider it as me returning the favor. If there's ever anything you need come and see me. You know where to find me. I look forward to our next encounter, Nat-su-ki._

 _~ S. Namikaze_

 _X_

Natsuki squinted at the note, seemingly trying to figure out if what she was reading was truly there. "How did she…?" She looked around, this time searching for a pair of intense dark eyes, but of course she found nothing.

The dark-haired teenager stuffed the bottle of hard liquor into her messenger bag and shoved her hands into her pockets as she finally began walking to her next class.

"If I ever need anything…" She chuckled and crumpled up the piece of paper and threw it in a trashbin. "What more could I possibly need?"

Unknown to her, a familiar pair of electric blue shrouded in darkness was watching her every move. Upon hearing the incredulous question, Aoi let a sad smile overtake her full pink lips. That was the problem with humans, teenagers especially. Everyone had that invincible mindset.

When Natsuki's footsteps could no longer be heard, the girl slunk back into the shadows in a graceful flurry of fluttering skirts and chocolate brown hair.

 **XXX**

Hours later, Natsuki and Shizuru were eagerly awaiting the arrival of Reagan. But as the hours progressed and day turned to night without a word or her showing up, Natsuki eventually called it quits. "I guess it was more serious than she thought." The teenager muttered dejectedly.

Shizuru rubbed her back soothingly. "Perhaps she is just running late."

Natsuki nodded. Her father was famous for not showing up on time. "Yeah, you're right. She's always late." She shook her head with an bemused snort. "She'd be late to her own funeral."

"I'm sure she'll be home later tonight," Shizuru said softly, "Or if not, there's always tomorrow."

Natsuki yawned and laid her head down in Shizuru's lap, oddly comforted by the eerie heat pulsating from her girlfriend's belly where her twins were resting peacefully. She smiled, unable to wrap her head around it. They were really having twins! Oh, the suspense was killing her.

The two eventually retreated to Natsuki's bedroom when it was apparent her father would be later than expected. Long after the moon was highest in the sky, when she was awoken out of her slumber by the uncomfortable pricks of the need to urine is when Shizuru realized something.

There was no jacket strewn over the back of the couch. No rumbling roar of an approaching motorcycle. No bags left hazardously by the door.

Reagan never came home.

 **XXX**

 _ **I don't even want to write the next chapter, T.T but the show must go on. No Chapter Preview this time. Thank you for all your love and support! I read each and every one of your kind responses, always taking your feedback into consideration!**_


	15. Chapter 15

**NO REST FOR THE WICKED**

 **CHAPTER XV: DON'T WAIT UP**

 **(POCAHONTAS _X_)**

 **"The most painful goodbyes are the ones that are never said, and never explained."**

 **XXX**

Natsuki ended up staying awake the entire night waiting for her father to return, something she hadn't done since she was a small child who withheld the need and desire to sleep just so she could see her dad before she went to bed, even if it were just for a single moment.

Her back aches from the slouched position she adopted while sitting on the cold metal window-seal as her tired eyes roamed the dark streets in search of her father's bikes. Her ears strained for the mechanical roar that never came.

Shizuru went through hell to get her up this morning. She was torn between skipping school and staying home so Natsuki could catch up on some much needed rest, or just powering through the exhaustion because Reagan didn't like it when Natsuki missed school.

Natsuki continuously reassures her that she's fine and the lack of sleep isn't really bothering her, but Shizuru can plainly see the fatigue in the young woman's body. She's already ready for the day, dressed in yet another designer dress that accentuates her blossoming figure and her voluptuous breasts and hips.

She watches as her girlfriend's sluggishly moves around the room gathering the things she'll need for the long school day. Natsuki pulls a blue hoodie over her shirt and slips a studded belt through the loops of her light denim jeans before she ponders over which shoes she'll wear from her massive collection.

Eventually deciding on a pair of Oreo 4's, the girl smiles tiredly as an indication that she's ready to go. The brunette wraps her arms tightly around Natsuki's neck and presses a loving kiss to her full pink lips that still carry the delicious taste of strawberries from her chapstick.

"She is fine," Shizuru whispers.

Natsuki sighs. "I know, it's just that she usually calls or texts, you know?"

A quick glance at the clock reveals that the couple still has a little over an hour before they actually need to get going. Shizuru sees it as the perfect opportunity for Natsuki to take a little nap. She leads the girl over to the couch and sits down, pulling Natsuki with her and positioning the girl's head in her lap so she could run her fingers through the dark locks she's come to love so much.

"I know," Shizuru replies, "She probably just misplaced her phone or forgot to text you."

Natsuki nods because it is something her father would do, and it's something she did quite often. She yawns and rests her forehead against her girlfriend's belly. Her hand comes up to gently glide over the fabric of Shizuru's dress.

A smile forms on her lips as her mind is suddenly invaded with thoughts of her little girls. She wonders if they'll look like her. Will they take after her or their mother? Will they have her eyes? Will they inherit the long, luscious dark locks that are so familiar with the occupants of the Kruger clan?

Natsuki eventually dozes off to the feeling of Shizuru's perfect fingers combing through her hair. Shizuru hums a lullaby.

Fifteen minutes later the door creaks open and the woman in question stumbles in. Shizuru's lullaby is cut short.

It must be raining because Reagan's hair is plastered to her face, completely soaked. Raindrops dribble down her strong jawline and off the gentle slope of her nose. Shizuru perks up, but Reagan brings a finger to her lips asking for silence.

She gestures to her daughter's sleeping form. The woman slowly approaches the duo and takes a seat on the coffee table right in front of them. "I'm sorry I didn't call or anything," She whispers softly, "I lost my phone."

Shizuru nods in understanding. "She was awake all night."

Reagan's chuckle was husky. "Waiting for me?" Shizuru nodded, and she sighed. "Idiot, I told her to stop doing that."

The dark-haired woman reaches out to stroke her sleeping daughter's head with a loving gentleness that reduces Shizuru's heart to a liquid substance that spreads throughout her entire body.

"Don't wake her. Let her sleep."

Reagan's eyes rise to meet hers and Shizuru's breath hitches momentarily. She's never truly noticed just how beautiful and intense the elder Kruger's eyes are until now. They're lacking their usual playfulness, replaced by an emotion that is nearly impossible to distinguish.

"Shizuru."

Shizuru tilts her head in anticipation for the question she perceives is blossoming on her lips. "Why aren't you home?" She asks softly. Her voice isn't judgemental by any means. Shizuru can only detect genuine curiosity in her husky tone.

Pain erupts on the former Heiress' beautiful face as thoughts of her father and their explosive collision take hold of her once peaceful mind. Her fingers still in Natsuki's hair.

"She is my home." She surprises herself with her blatant declaration. Reagan, however, doesn't share her surprise. She smiles gently. It's one of those smiles that perhaps a terminally ill patient gives the nurse who's been taking care of them since they've been admitted.

Soft. Sad. Gentle. Thankful.

The woman rises. The sudden movement causes the raindrops still clinging to her hair to splatter everywhere.

"Take care of her," Reagan says, looking her dead in the eye. "She'll need you."

"I will." Shizuru replies without a moment's hesitation. Her crimson eyes follow Reagan as the woman makes her way back to the way she came; the door. Brunette brows furrow. "Are you leaving so soon? She really wanted to see you…"

Reagan's shoulders shake. Perhaps from the cold. Perhaps not. She gives the girl a small smile over her shoulder. "I'm sorry, but I have to." _I just needed to see her one last time…_ "I don't know when I'll be back. Don't wait up, okay?"

Shizuru nods slowly, and with one last troubled look, the dark-haired woman is gone. Natsuki wakes an hour later a bit more enthusiastic. Shizuru tells her what had transpired during her slumber.

"Gah," Natsuki snorts in frustration, "She always avoids me when she knows I'm mad at her. She could've at least said goodbye, though."

"I'm sorry." Shizuru says. "But she didn't want me to wake you."

"It's okay." Natsuki smiles. "It's not your fault. She'll be home later. I'll give her a piece of my mind then. Are you ready to go?"

Shizuru giggles. "Of course."

 **XXX**

 **Tokyo Slums…**

 **One Hour After Sunrise.**

 **Namikaze's Mansion (Aoi)**

The noises Aoi's heels make on the marble floor seem much louder than usual in the quiet corridor. There are rows and rows of men and women clad in black pressed up against the walls, each offering her a respectful bow as she passes by.

She smiles; being Namikaze's favorite has its perk.

Two men open a massive pair of double doors at the very end of the hallway. She enters and flashes them each a thankful smile.

"Aoi," A dark voice cooes from the shadows as she enters the equally dark room. A pair of sinister eyes glow in the darkness as she approaches the figure strewn hazardously across the chair seated in the middle of the room.

Blood stains the floors. Bodies littered with bulletholes and stab wounds lay at her feet. There's blood as red as Aoi's lipstick on her face, her clothes, her throne. Aoi doesn't pay it any mind as she promptly steps over the bodies and seats herself in Namikaze's lap.

Namikaze roughly grips her hips and wraps her strong, bloodstained arms around the exposed skin of Aoi's back where her shirt does little to conceal. Aoi's fingers rid the dreaded stains from Namikaze's youthful face. "My Lord." The young woman murmurs, resting her cheek on her lord's pale, tattooed chest.

"I take it your mission was a success?" Namikaze already knows the answer. Senoh Aoi does not fail. But she cannot help but smile when her pet nods against her flesh. "And how did our dear little puppy react?"

"She thinks she already has everything she could ever want." Aoi's eyes sparkle. "And I've made quite the discovery."

"Oh?"

Aoi nods again and twirls a lock of dark hair around her pale finger. "She has a sweetheart."

"I would expect nothing less from a girl with her looks." Namikaze says, her tone amused yet tinged with boredom.

Aoi grins and leans in closer, kissing the woman's ear softly before speaking into it. "Natsuki's sweetheart is pregnant. With her child, I assume."

Namikaze's relatively impassive features manifest into an expression somewhere along the lines of excitement and surprise. "Are you certain?" She inquires.

Aoi nods. "They are quite fond of each other. I saw them in the hallway. They're good at hiding it, but Natsuki's eyes do not lie. They are incapable of hiding any emotion. I saw the way they lit up when her fingers rested along the curve of her girlfriend's stomach. A curve that is impossible to distinguish unless you were intentionally looking for it. I suspect that she is only a few months along."

Namikaze strokes Aoi's back almost lovingly. This new information is unexpected, but Namikaze knows she can use it to lure the wolf into the cage. "You have done a marvelous job, my dear." Namikaze presses a kiss to the center of Aoi's chest. "You shall be rewarded handsomely."

The older woman rises from the throne and Aoi wraps her legs and arms around Namikaze's body so she won't fall. Namikaze lays her on the table in the corner and rids crawls on top of her. Spreading Aoi's legs, she produces a short stiletto from in between her breasts and uses it to slice through the flimsy fabric of Aoi's clothes, exposing her right down the middle.

The first flick of Namikaze's tongue on her dripping wet sex sends Aoi into a pure state of bliss. Her moans consist of four syllables each and every time. She screams in ecstasy as a pierced tongue pumps in and out easily in between her slick folds. Strong hands hold her down as her nails dig into Namikaze's skull mercilessly.

When she's finished with her, Aoi can't walk for long moments as her legs continue to shake. Namikaze leaves her there, and Aoi curls up for a well-deserved nap, completely unmindful of the carnage only a few meters away.

 **XXX**

 **A few hours later…**

 **Fuuka High-school.**

 **Room 2A. (Natsuki)**

Midori's abandoned the class yet again, although her reasons are unknown. The students are doing what they please, throwing paper balls, talking loudly amongst themselves, on cellphones, or sleeping.

"Where is she?" Chie groans as she casts a desperate glance toward the back where a worn seats remains unoccupied. "I fucking woke up two hours early to pick out something nice to wear, I got a haircut, and I even bought these stupid contacts, but for what? She's not even here!"

"Bummer," Tate says, and Natsuki nods absently.

She does look good, even Natsuki has to admit. But she finds it funny that she went through the trouble of dressing up and looking nice for someone who isn't even here.

"I'm sure she'll be here soon." Mai says as she scribbles down another definition for the vocabulary word she was previously stuck on.

"She better be!" Chie barks.

"Hey, maybe that's her now." Tate says as the sliding doors open, but unfortunately for Chie it's only Midori.

"I give up. I'm just going to have fifty cats and die alone." She mumbles.

Tate snickers and offers half-assed consolation.

"Natsuki."

Natsuki looks up as her teacher's voice reaches her ears. She raises an eyebrow at Midori's expression. She isn't wearing her usual life-living smirk. Her pretty face is sullen, her features grave. "Uh, yeah?" The teenager asks.

Midori scratches the back of her neck. "Mashiro needs you in her office."

Mashiro? Mashiro's the dean of Fuuka high. Natsuki's had the unfortunate pleasure of visiting her far too many times. But she hasn't done anything drastic in almost a month! Nonetheless, she rises from her seat, ignoring the amused snickers from her classmates and Mai's perplexed sigh.

"Tokiha, watch the class." Midori says to the only student she relatively trusts as she leads the dark-haired girl out of the room.

"It wasn't me!" Natsuki says suddenly. "Whatever you're about to blame me for I swear it wasn't me this time. Scout's honor."

Midori shakes her head, but does not reply. Natsuki wracks her mind for anything she's done in the last week that will explain why she's headed for the dean. Then it hits her like a ton of bricks!

 _Damn, someone must've seen that creep give me liquor and reported it to the dean! Man, dad's going to kill me,_ Natsuki thinks with a conflicted sigh. _Bye-bye bike, and bye-bye life when she finds out that not only did I take it liquor from a stranger, but I got my girl pregnant too._

The girl groans as she hangs her head. _I'm so screwed._

Midori enters the dean's office and Natsuki closes the door behind her. There's a multitude of familiar faces gathered there. Nao's seated in the corner looking only seconds away from killing herself with the rubber-band she's popping against her wrist in sheer boredom.

Nina's face is twisted with anxiety. She's never been called to the dean's office before. She aims a fierce glare in her cousin's direction. _This is your fault_ , she mouths furiously.

 _I didn't do anything!_ Natsuki mouths back.

The school nurse, Yoko, is standing near Midori. The assistant dean, Fumi, is standing behind Mashiro with her hands placed delicately on the paralyzed woman's frail shoulders. All of their expressions are grave.

"Miss Kruger," Mashiro begins, although she pauses to clear her voice because it shakes and cracks at the end of her sentence. There is a pain in her eyes that Natsuki has never seen before. Like she's about to break someone's heart.

"Look, I don't know what you saw, but I swear it isn't what it looked like! I don't even know her, I swear. She just gave it to me…" She defends herself lamely.

"What?" Mashiro's face contorts into an expression of confusion.

Oh, maybe I'm not in trouble… damn, I just almost snitched on myself. "Uh, never mind," Natsuki says with a light laugh, "What's up?"

She sees Yoko turn away and bury her face into Midori's neck. The red-haired woman rubs her back reassuringly, but her eyes water.

"I've called you three here because you are all in relation to Reagan Kruger," Mashiro chokes out. "Her daughter, her young second cousin, and her adopted daughter. Her name is written on each of your emergency cards. She is named as the legal guardian for Miss Juliet and Miss Kruger."

 _Oh no,_ Natsuki winced, _dad, what'd you do this time?_

Mashiro pinches the bridge of her nose as she feels the bile rise in the back of her throat. She can't go on. Instead, she reaches for the remote on her desk and switches on the TV perched on the wall above her head.

There's a reporter wearing a black suit standing in front of what looks like an exploded building. There's fire and smoke everywhere. Glass and debris on the floor, ash in the air, emergency services scrambling back and forth hollering in urgent voices to each other. Natsuki frowns and stares intently at the TV.

Mashiro turns the volume all the way up.

" _... If you've just joined us, this is Yuri Nishimura reporting live from Marguerite Industries in downtown Tokyo, where a massive explosion of unknown sources has taken place. Although, authorities and workers are uttering mumblings of an accidental fuel leakage that proved fatal, leaving hundreds injured and a few casualties. Amongst the casualties is head Engineer, Reagan Kruger, who had been seen nearly by all in the same room as the jet that blew the entire place to Kingdom Come._ " He reports in a voice wracked by sorrow for the lost. There's a picture of Reagan in the far right corner, smiling from ear to ear like she always did…

" _She was right there_ ," A horrified witness says as she closes her eyes, probably trying to dispel the images from her mind. " _I asked her if she needed any help and she said she was almost finished, so I turned around and walked out of the garage. Then there was the explosion... I heard a scream, but I don't know if it was hers or my own…_ "

" _It's sad,_ " Another witness says, baffled, " _From what I've heard she's got a kid back home. I send my condolences to her and her family._ "

The rest of the interviews are simply blurred noises to Natsuki, who has seemingly lost the ability to breathe. Her iPhone slips from her grasp and shatters as it lands on the floor face-first. "Oh god." Nina chokes out and buries her face into Nao's shoulder.

Nao's eyes rapidly fill with tears that she desperately tries to blink back. She's trying to be strong. For Nina. For Natsuki. For herself. But when they come they come in numbers far too great for her to push back.

"Da...ddy." Natsuki utters as her vision becomes distorted. She shakily takes a step back. And another. And another until she's pressed up against the wall, she doesn't trust her legs to keep her upright anymore. "Dad…" She moans, her voice raw with pain. "Dad…"

 **XXX**

 _"Daddy!"_

 _Reagan huffed as a tiny figure came barrelling down the staircase and practically leapt into her arms. She grinned and dropped her bags, lifting her daughter high in the air. "Hey, what're you doing up, 'Suki? It's way past your bedtime."_

 _"I was waiting for you!" Natsuki said, excitement pouring from her gigantic green eyes. She's barely ten, but her eyes are as vulnerable and expressive as a newborn babe's. Reagan settled the girl on her hip, and Natsuki rested her cheek on her chest._

 _"I thought I told you not to wait up." Reagan murmured as she kissed the top of her baby girl's head._

 _"But daddy has to give me my goodnight kiss otherwise I can't sleep. And I wanted to see you. You've been gone all day." Natsuki pouted, playing with the long strands of hair laying on Reagan's chest._

 _Her features softened. She brought her small knuckles to her lips and kissed the back of them lovingly. "Come on, let's get you to bed before grandma finds out you've been awake this entire time."_

 _It was almost three in the morning, and Natsuki had been awake since eight. The young father carried the little girl up the stairs of her mother's house to the room at the very end of the hall. She laid the child on the bed and sat on the edge of it, stroking her daughter's dark hair as she gazed tiredly up at her with triumphant eyes._

 _"When will you learn?" Reagan shook her head fondly. "You can't always wait for me." One day I may not come back, she added sorrowfully._

 _Natsuki furiously shook her head and grabbed her dad's hand. Tucking it under her chin. "Daddy, you promised you'd always come back. So I'll wait for you always." The little girl mumbled tiredly as her eyes began to droop._

Should've known you'd be as stubborn as your mother, _Reagan thought. She leaned over to kiss her daughter on the forehead with a whispered 'I love you' and made a move to get up, pausing when she realized Natsuki still had her hand in a death grip._

 _She didn't have the heart to remove it. Instead she just laid back on the bed and let the exhaustion of the day and the sound of the rain lull her to sleep._

 **XXX**

"You… promised…" Natsuki mumbles as a waterfall of tears spilled over her cheeks. She clenches her teeth in an effort to stop the agonized scream from breaking the barriers of her wall of false stability.

 _I'll always be here for you. I promise._

"You… promised…"

"Natsuki!" Nina and Nao shout in unison when the girl suddenly turns tail and runs out of the room.

"You… promised…"

 _Don't wait up for me, okay?_

"You… promised…"

 _"Reagan," Her grandmother's voice somehow entered her foggy mind. "Come home soon." Reagan's eyes softened considerably as she swept her mother up in a tight bear hug._

 _"I promise I'll come see you every chance I get. I'll even leave the beer here as a testament of how serious I am. Don't let Kenshi drink it, though."_

"You… promised…" Natsuki runs down hallway, as it begins to fill with students. She hadn't even known the bell had rang. She can't hear anything other than her own pained sobs.

It's raining outside. She's soaked within moments as she runs the short distance to her bike and straddles it. Her helmet slips off the seat and crashes to the floor. She doesn't bother picking it up. She just lets it roll away as she fires up the bike.

"Natsuki!" Nao cries from the school entrance. Natsuki doesn't hear her as she speeds off in the direction of the smoke steadily rising from the explosion that had taken one of the most important women in her life, and a piece of her in the process.

"Natsuki…" Nao sniffles as she picks up the now cracked helmet and cradles it to her chest. It's Reagan's old helmet. Her name is still etched above the visor. And it only makes the tears saltier.

"Nao-san?"

Nao's head whips around as Shizuru's worried voice sounds over the roaring in her ears. She must've seen Natsuki run past.

 _Damn it,_ Nao curses as she falls to her knees. _Damn it, damn it, damn it!_ She brings her fist down harshly on the concrete.

 **XXX**

Namiko hums happily to herself as she finishes drying the last of the dishes from her and Riku's late lunch. Duran rests near her feet, his ears flicking back and forth in irritation as a fly continues its assault on his furry appendages.

Her kimono hugs her figure beautifully as her long, knee-length black hair billows in the wind like a dark flag. Riku's in the living room listening to the television. She can somewhat hear it from where she is standing.

Suddenly, the sound of glass breaking startles her out of her thoughts. A worried frown forms on her beautiful, aged face. "Riku? Are you alright?" She calls, but the woman does not answer. Duran lifts his head, his eyes equally troubled.

"Riku?" Once again, there's no answer. Namiko sets the dishrag down and makes her way to the living room, where Riku stands in front of the TV, seemingly frozen in time.

"Riku." Namiko tsks at the mess she's made. A broken tea cup lays at her feet, shattered into a million pieces on the old rug. "Are you alright, dear?"

"Obaa-san." Riku's voice is ragged, pain-ridden. Namiko hasn't heard such agony in her tone since she was told she'd be blind forever.

"Riku? What's going…"

"... _Japan's #1 Engineering Industry suffers a devastating explosion that has undisputedly claimed the lives of four workers. Among those four is Head Engineer Reagan Kruger, who was in the same room in which the explosion occurred…_ "

A windchime sang happily in the breeze.

A previously shattered soul shatters again.

An age old wound reopens.

Hearts break in unison.

And the suffering begins again.

"My child…" Namiko moans as a familiar numbness settled over her battleworn body and soul. "Reagan!" She screams in a voice so raw with emotion Duran throws his head back and howls like the wolf he is inside.

 **XXX**

 _"Be good, my child, and let who will be clever; do noble deeds, not dream them all day long; and so make life, death, and that vast forever one grand, sweet song."_

Charles Kingsley


	16. Chapter 16

**NO REST for the WICKED**

 **CHAPTER XVI: PIECES**

 **"Thought you were beside me, but I reached and you were gone."**

 **HYMN of the MISSING, RED.**

 **XXX**

She's never really liked the rain much at all.

She always associated it with pain. Everytime it rained her life changed in some drastic fashion. It rained the day her mother left her on the doorstep of a stranger without a single word. There was no goodbye, no declaration of love or a promise to return for her. Saeko hadn't even the decency to look her daughter in the eye when she broke Natsuki's fragile little heart.

It rained the day Riku was diagnosed with severe glaucoma, and was forced to give up her dream of being a boxer forever. It rained the day the doctors discovered lumps in Julia Zhang's breasts. It always rained on the eve of her grandfather's death.

And the first storm of winter brought with it yet another heartbreak. The only difference now was that she didn't have her father to bear the storm with her anymore. There would be no more sneaking into the Windbloom forest after hours to fish in the lake. No more friendly banter between father and daughter. No more private jokes or working on their bikes side-by-side until it got so late their eyes felt like they'd melted out of their sockets.

No more wiping grease stains on each other's faces and shirts when neither one of them were expecting it. No more anything.

"Fuck!" Natsuki's agonized scream cut over the roar of the bike and the brewing storm above. She weaved her way through traffic going fast enough to compete with a plane ready to take-off. Her heart beat uselessly in her chest. The only thing it seemed capable of doing was keeping her alive and breathing.

Barely breathing. It felt like there was a thick, impenetrable lump lodged in her throat. If it weren't for the adrenaline she was certain she wouldn't even be breathing. She just couldn't wrap her mind around it.

Her father was dead.

"There has to be some mistake…" Natsuki mumbled, briefly squeezing her eyes shut only to snap them open a few seconds later after almost running off the edge of the road. "She was alive this morning… Shizuru saw her this morning… and now she's… gone?"

It was unfathomable.

Gone. Just like that! It took her nine months to get into this world, but it only took a single day, a single fucking second to take her out of it? It was cruel, and so fucking unfair.

If she'd known those texts would be the last conversation she had with her dad, she'd have said so much more. So much more…

She could see the smoke from the explosion at the factory in the distance. Black as night, the ashes mixed into the clouds until the sky looked like the remanence of a nuclear war. Was it wrong for her to wish it was anyone other than her father who perished only one hundred-ninety minutes ago?

Perhaps it-

 **Bang!**

"Ah!" Natsuki screamed as the hood of an oncoming car, courtesy of another reckless driver, came in contact with the side of her motorcycle, nearly crushing her left leg as it slammed into the bike's flank, sending pieces of metal and parts spiralling into the air.

The teenager was thrown off of her vehicle, roughly bouncing and skidding across the pavement like a ragdoll. In an effort to protect her helmetless head, she'd thrown her arms around it, leaving her body virtually unprotected as she crashed into the slick asphalt.

She watched the smoke rise from the new graveyard through blurry, agonized eyes. She could vaguely hear voices screaming for help in the background. Tons of unfamiliar faces so close to her own, asking her if she was alright.

"I'm so sorry!"

A heavy thud near her left ear. That voice, it must belong to the other driver. "I didn't see you!" It was a man's voice. He sounded young. She was looking right at him, but somehow she couldn't see him.

"Call an ambulance." Another man hollered as a Natsuki's eyes began to droop.

"Already done. They're on the way." A woman answered this time. Her voice was gentle as she pulled Natsuki's head into her lap, her brows furrowing in concern when she spotted the subtle flecks of crimson nestled among the midnight locks. "You'll be okay, sweetheart, just stay with me now, okay?" She urged softly.

Her dark eyes sparkled with reassurance. She was an older woman with salt and pepper brown hair, wrinkles everywhere, and a kind smile. She had a distinctive warmth about her that soothed Natsuki's troubled mind.

 _A mother,_ Natsuki mused as her eyes finally fell shut. Her kids were probably all grown and searching for their rightful places in the world. They no longer needed their mother to guide and nurture them anymore.

After Saeko's disappearance, Natsuki convinced herself that she didn't need her anymore. She'd been willing to take that thought to the grave, but now she wasn't so sure. There was a time where she used to sit up in bed at night, praying to a god she didn't believe in for her parents to somehow reunite and fall in love again so they could be one big happy family.

But that wish would never be granted now because her father was dead and her mother was still nowhere to be found.

She'd never felt so alone.

 **XXX**

Namiko shook uncontrollably in Riku's arms as her frail little body was mercilessly assaulted by gut-wrenching sobs. She couldn't believe it either. She'd literally just saw her daughter the other day, laughing and joking and smiling like she always did.

She thought her life ended when Ren died, but it was Reagan who gave her the strength and the will to survive when all seemed lost. Her daughter, her only daughter, was her only anchor to the living world.

And now that anchor was gone.

She hadn't cried so much since the day that battleworn marine came to her door all those years ago with his head bowed and his eyes sad as he handed Namiko her beloved's dog tags and wedding ring, both black around the edges from where the metal and diamond were exposed to the hellish inferno of the explosion that had claimed Ren's life.

Weeks went by and Namiko's health and mental state rapidly declined until she was forced to submit to a hospital and Reagan was taken away from her by a worried social worker who feared Namiko would let her grief and sorrow prevent her from taking care of her only child.

She remembered placing her hand on the glass separating her from her daughter when she came to visit her mother at the mental institute, how she promised over and over again to get better so they could be together again.

" _Mother_ ," Reagan had said that same day, her brilliant viridian orbs sad yet determined as she gazed at the broken shell of the once strong, exuberant woman before her, " _It's okay. I'll take care of you from now on._ " She'd puffed out her little chest like proud little warrior she was.

" _It's what daddy would've wanted_ ," Her daughter continued, " _Daddy isn't here to protect us anymore, but I'll do it from now on, I promise._ "

She'd kept her promise too. Namiko was released a few weeks later. Reagan took care of her while she slowly grew re-accustomed to life on the outside again. She brushed her long, dark hair after she showered, which was a tumultuous task by itself because her hair was so long and so thick.

She'd took on almost all of the household chores which included cooking, cleaning, tending to the garden in the backyard, shopping, and many other things an eleven year-old shouldn't have been doing. _Eleven_ … she'd missed her daughter's eleventh birthday while she was still admitted at the institute.

When Reagan was at school one day, she'd dragged herself out of the house for the first time in months and went down to the market, ignoring the pitying, awed looks its customers gave her as they watched the princess who'd fallen from grace stalk through the marketplace with her chin up and her gaze unwavering.

She hadn't trusted herself to cook so she purchased a single cupcake from a local vendor, then she made the isolated journey back home where she lit a single candle and waited for her daughter to return.

She remembered the tired little girl practically tumbling through the door that evening she was so exhausted. Her darkened eyes had regarded her mother and the cupcake curiously. Namiko had beckoned her over and kissed the child on top of her dark head, whispering a long overdue 'happy birthday' and countless 'I love you's' to the stunned youth.

She'd only managed to eat half the cupcake before she fell asleep in her mother's arms. It was then, when the maiden gazed down at her only child, so utterly precious in slumber, that she truly dedicated herself to getting better.

"Tell me it isn't so," The middle-aged woman moaned out painfully, latching onto Riku's firm biceps in a desperate attempt to steady herself, "I have lost _everything._ "

Riku sniffled as her own tears forced their way out of her sightless eyes. She'd never heard her grandmother sound so broken. Cruelly fortunate, she was, to not be able to witness the look of utter devastation on the woman's face.

Namiko lost a daughter today, Natsuki a father, and Riku, her best and only friend. The younger woman bit her lip as thoughts of her cousin's lone offspring filled her troubled mind. "Obaa-san," Riku choked out, "You mustn't say that."

"I only speak the truth," Namiko mourned, "My daughter was the sole reason I lived to see this day, this dark, dark day, and now she is gone. How am I supposed to survive this, this, _nightmare_!?"

"You must think of Natsuki." Riku said. "She's all alone."

Green eyes flashed with realization, and Namiko berated herself for such an act of selfishness. How could she say such things when there was a young girl out there just as broken as she was, or possibly worse?

"Riku, we must find Natsuki." Namiko said, and Riku nodded furiously, although she wasn't sure how much held she would be.

Namiko's eyes felt like two heavy weights and her knees were faring no better, but she forced herself on two feet. Her concern for her granddaughter rivaled all else, even the agony of losing her child. She'd have time to break later once she found Natsuki.

The door swung open before either of them could even blink and Nao, Nina, and Shizuru burst in, soaking wet from the rain. Namiko hoped she'd see her granddaughter trailing behind them. She didn't.

"Dad!" Nina cried, throwing herself in Riku's arms and burying her face into her shoulder, assuming a position none to different from Namiko's earlier one. Riku whispered sweet nothings into her ear and stroked her hair while Namiko hurriedly approached the other two.

"Juliet, where is Natsuki?" Namiko inquired fearfully.

Nao couldn't find the strength to complain about Namiko's usage of her much hated first name. She ran a hand through her mess of red hair. "She didn't come here!?"

Namiko shook her head. Judging by Nao's word choice, she could conclude that Natsuki had indeed ran off. It was something she did often as a child when she was stuck in her feelings, a habit that unfortunately was never broken.

"We must find her," Namiko urged, "She's hurt and alone. In her current state she could be a danger to herself and others. Where on earth could she have gone?"

"We swung by the house on the way here," Nao said, "She wasn't there. We were hoping she came here, but obviously she had other ideas."

"Would she go to her mother?" Shizuru suggested desperately, her crimson eyes shimmering with terrified tears.

"No, no one knows where Saeko is." Namiko replied softly. "She left Natsuki with her father…" The woman sucked in a pained breath tried not burst in tears. "...Years ago. Natsuki hasn't seen nor spoken with or of her mother in almost a decade."

Shizuru cupped a hand over her mouth as a particularly loud roar of thunder sliced through the air, causing all of them to jump slightly.

"Natsuki…" Shizuru whispered, "Where are you?"

"Wait." All eyes turned to Riku as the blind woman's words demanded it. "Natsuki ran off as soon as she heard, right?"

"Yeah, we tried to catch her but she was too quick." Nao spat, furious at herself for not being able to do more. "Stupid mutt, not only did the weather decide to take a shit on us, but she's out there on that bike with no freakin' helmet!"

Namiko didn't think her life could get any worse than it already had, but now she was hearing that her granddaughter was out in that storm, on that deathtrap, with no helmet? Oh no. She couldn't lose Natsuki. She couldn't lose her granddaughter and her daughter in one day.

"She must be going to the scene of the accident…" Riku said, her sightless eyes fixed on the ground.

"Makes sense," Nao replied, "Of course she'd want to see it with her own eyes… but damn, those roads are bad enough in general, but with weather like this, their fucking deathtraps."

"Quickly, we must find her before…"

Namiko trailed off as the house phone began to ring. Green eyes, red eyes, amber eyes, and pale blue ones locked onto it instantly. Namiko's anxiety increased tenfold and she swallowed down the bile rising in her throat.

Please, she pleaded as she made her way over to the erratic device, Heavenly Deity Amaterasu, watch over my granddaughter. I beg of you. Let this not be a call informing me of another loss.

"Hello?" Namiko answered curtly.

All of the others listened intently.

"This is Namiko Kruger… yes, I am her grandmother… Oh goddess, is she alright? Of course… I'll be there immediately… thank you…" Namiko hung up the phone, not caring that it wasn't completely on the hook.

"Obaa-san…" Riku murmured.

Namiko's face was grim. "That was the hospital. Natsuki's at Fuuka General. She was badly injured in an accident."

 _No! Natsuki_ … Shizuru screamed internally.

"We must leave at once." Namiko pressed.

"We'll take my car." Nao said, referring to the old black Honda Civic her mother had given her when it was apparent that she'd have no use for it any longer. Nina ran upstairs and grabbed her dad's leather jacket and an umbrella while Namiko and Shizuru locked up the house.

Duran whined loudly and latched onto the back of his mistress's kimono, momentarily preventing her from leaving with the others. She looked down at him. His icy blue eyes were sad. She kneeled down beside him.

He was a gift in both the senses of being given to her and being a beloved companion. Reagan had bought him for Natsuki as a gift for her eleventh birthday, and though Natsuki loved him dearly, she thought it best to give him to her grandmother because Namiko had lived in isolation before she took Riku in.

"I'm sorry," Namiko said softly, stroking his delicate ears, "But I'm afraid you can't go with me this time."

Duran whined again and licked her nose, his eyes practically saying, "Please, I'll be good, I promise."

Namiko kissed him on top of his fluffy dark head and turned to the door, ignoring the scratching of his nails on the wood floors as he desperately tried to go after her. He raised himself up on the door as it was before he could get out, howling and barking and crying like an abandoned puppy.

 **XXX**

"Man, what a day." An exasperated voice ground out tiredly as its owner leaned hazardously on the edge of a lab table where one of his colleagues was working diligently on one of her latest experiments. "Who knew rats were so fast?"

She looked up and laughed. He was referring to the little incident that happened earlier. One of the newer biotechnicians had mistakenly released all of their furry little test subjects by pressing a button he had no business even looking at.

"It could've been worse." She said.

He nodded and winced slightly. "Yeah, a few escaped rats are nothing compared to what happened down at Marguerite Industries."

The woman froze. "What happened at Marguerite Industries?"

"You mean you haven't heard?" He inquired, surprised. "It's practically international news by now!"

"I've been in the lab all day." She whispered.

"I believe you," He said, "But there was this massive explosion!" He made wild gestures with his hands, rather inappropriately if you asked her. "The flash could be seen from Hiroshima!"

"Daiuske!" She snapped before he could go off course with his exaggerations. He was famous for those.

He smiled apologetically. "Sorry, but yeah, the explosion was pretty big. They say it was caused by a fuel leakage from one of the stealth jets or something. Casualties are relatively low despite the sheer size of that thing."

Saeko Searrs gripped the edge of the table as a wave of anxiety washed over her.

 _No,_ she squeezed her eyes shut. _She's fine. She's okay. Stop assuming the worst._

Unaware of his colleagues internal struggle, Daiuske said, "Sucks for the company and the families who lost their loved ones today. I mean it really sucks. Reagan Kruger was by far the best Aerospace Engineer of our time. Now that she's gone, Japan's _fucked_ if another war breaks out, especially if it comes down to dog fights." He blew out an exasperated breath, which quickly turned into a squeal of alarm when Saeko suddenly collapsed, her wobbly knees no longer able to support her.

"Woah, Saeko!" Daiuske cried, kneeling beside her and resting his hand on her shoulder. Her entire visage turned an unhealthy shade of white, her breaths coming out in short bursts of ragged, agonized pants. "YO!" Daiuske roared to no one in particular. "I need help in here!"

She felt as though her world was crashing down around her. The father of her first child, her former best friend, girlfriend, and her first love, was dead. And she hadn't even had the chance to tell her how sorry she was for what she'd done.

To top it all off, she had a daughter somewhere out there, alone and shaken by the sudden loss of her father. And she didn't even know where she was or if Natsuki even remembered her. She probably thought she was an orphan now.

 _She might as well be_ , Saeko thought mournfully as the effects of her panic attack caused her to slip over the edge of unconsciousness.

XXX

"Hello, how can I help you?"

The receptionist at the hospital desk was young and earnest. The black glasses he wore slipped down his nose every now and then, and his huge brown eyes radiated his eagerness to please. Namiko would've found it cute if the situation were different.

"I'm looking for my granddaughter," Namiko said hurriedly, her eyes wet and shiny. "She was admitted earlier because of an accident."

"What's her name?" He leaned forward, his fingers hovering over the keyboard anxiously.

"Kruger Natsuki."

He was typing even before the last syllable of Natsuki's name was uttered. He swept back a curtain of floppy, untamed brown hair as he leaned forward until his nose was almost pressed up against the screen. "Ah, found her! Kruger Natsuki was admitted forty nine minutes ago due to an accident that occurred on the Imperial Highway, suffering from mild head trauma, a fractured clavicle, and bruised ribs."

Shizuru bit her lip as Namiko's shoulders slumped even further. She felt nauseous, but she was certain it had nothing to do with her pregnancy. Nina saw the pained uneasy look on her face and grabbed her hand with the one that wasn't settled in her dad's jacket pocket.

Riku's eyes, as always, were trained on the floor; although her chin was raised slightly, indicating that she was listening intently to the receptionist's words.

"Can I see her?" Namiko inquired, her tone desperate.

He nodded. "Yes, since you're immediate family, but I can only allow two at a time. Hospital rules, I'm sorry." He added apologetically.

Nao and Nina exchanged glances. "Shizuru, you should go with Obaa-san." Nina said, and Nao and Riku nodded in agreement.

"Yeah," Nao said, "All of that immediate family is bullshit. Your her girlfriend, which makes you family by default."

Shizuru dipped her head gratefully. "Thank you, thank you so much."

"No big deal." Nao shrugged. "Just make sure she's okay, okay?"

"I promise." Shizuru whispered.

Namiko flashed a tiny smile in the trio's direction before grabbing Shizuru's hand. "Room 232!" The receptionist cried.

The tips of Namiko's damp hair tracked water all through the sterile white halls. Her calves were also damp from where her long hair ended and stuck to the fine fabric of her midnight black Kimono.

When they entered the room, they saw that Natsuki was not alone. She was sitting on the bed with her head bowed, her dark hair a curtain shielding her beautiful, possibly tear-stained face from view. She was wearing one of those flimsy, revealing hospital gowns, exposing her torso that was wrapped tightly in thick white gauze. Her left shoulder was heavily bandaged as well.

Her arm was in a splint cradled tightly to her chest. There was also a small bandage on her cheek and temple. She had a nasty case of road rash that covered almost the entire expanse of her right arm. They'd been sterilized and left for the air to heal.

A blonde woman was kneeled in front of her, clad in Tokyo Police Department uniform and trying to gently coax Natsuki into a conversation. "Why were you in such a hurry, sweetheart?" She was saying. "You know how dangerous those cliffs are, especially in weather like this."

Natsuki didn't reply, only stared silently and vacantly at the floor, appearing almost as blind as Riku.

"Natsuki." Namiko stepped forward, completely ignoring the stranger for she held no significance to her whatsoever. For the first time since she arrived, Natsuki's glittering eyes left the floor and rose to meet a familiar pair.

"Dad?" Natsuki breathed, hopefully. The first thing she saw was dark hair and green eyes, mistaking her grandmother for the father she'd just lost.

Namiko's resolve cracked yet again. "No, sweetheart. It's Namiko."

Natsuki blew out a shaky breath, for once hating the striking resemblance her father and grandmother shared. The female officer stepped politely left the room, but Namiko was certain she wouldn't be very far.

The older woman cupped her granddaughter's clammy cheek and pressed their foreheads together. "Oh Natsuki," She whispered. "I'm so sorry."

With a strangled sob, the teenager buried her face into her grandmother's shoulder. Her fingers fisted in Namiko's kimono tightly, almost as if she feared that she too would disappear out of her life.

Shizuru stroked Natsuki's hair, unable to form words or even to comfort her in the way she so desperately wanted. She'd never seen Natsuki cry before. The sheer amount of pain nestled in each and every broken sob shook her to the very core, and before she could even attempt to steel herself her own tears broke through.

It just wasn't fair how someone as loving and caring as Natsuki could suddenly be exposed to such heartbreak. She wasn't too young in age, but she was too young to be without her dad… and her mom.

If Shizuru could trade her father's life for Reagan's she'd do it in a heartbeat. But it didn't work like that. Life wasn't that fair. She felt helpless because all she could do was rub Natsuki's back while she cried herself ill and tell her that everything was going to be okay.

She didn't trust herself to do the last part because she'd said that before… and now look what happened. But she did make a promise to Reagan… practically on her deathbed to always take care of Natsuki.

And that's what she'll do for the eternity she planned to spend at Natsuki's side.

 **XXX**

 **Chapter Preview:**

 _To Namikaze Shinobu, loss is nothing but an opportunity to gain. She hopes to use Natsuki's devastation as leverage in her attempts to recruit her…_

 _Natsuki tries to find the strength to continue after the death of her father. Luckily, she's got her loving girlfriend by her side. Shizuru reveals her pregnancy to the Kruger Matriarch, and a broken woman searches for summer in the midst of winter._


	17. Chapter 17

**No Rest for the Wicked**

 **Chapter XVII: The Parting Glass**

 **by: Pocahontas X**

 **"Of all the money that e'er I had, I've spent it in good company. And all the harm that e'er I've done, alas it was to none but me."**

 **the PARTING GLASS, ED SHEERAN (COVER)**

 **(CCC)**

"I just want to why you were driving so recklessly in such horrible weather."

The female cop had decided she wouldn't leave until she spoke with Natsuki regarding the accident that occurred on the tumultuous path of the Imperial Highway. The other driver had escaped relatively unharmed, but he was still pretty shaken up about the entire thing.

However, he wouldn't walk out of this without any consequences. Namiko could practically smell the alcohol on the minor's breath from a mile away, and she was sure the police officer could too.

"Would you just give it a break? The girl's just lost her father for fuck's sake! Have a bit of decency, will you?"

Surprise blossomed on the old woman's features as the cutting words flew from Riku's mouth, the last person she'd expect to lose her temper.

"Dad…" Nina murmured, tugging on her father's elbow.

Riku's pale blue eyes were furious. "I understand you're trying to do your job, but can't you see she's in pain and shock?"

The blonde woman frowned deeply. Riku was looking directly at her, and even though there wasn't any functionality to that eerie gaze, she felt as though Riku was looking right through her. She rose from the kneeled position she adopted at the silent teenager's bedside and took a commanding step forward.

"I suggest you watch your tone," She said, her voice like ice. "However shocked or pained she may be, she still broke the law and endangered not only her life, but those around her as well."

Shizuru cradled Natsuki's tender skull to her bosom protectively as the tension between Riku and the cop grew thicker and thicker with each fleeting moment.

"She wasn't the only one." Riku replied scathingly. "I don't hear you interrogating the other guy. Yeah, you know, the idiot who was driving just as recklessly, while intoxicated, I might add."

"Riku, that's enough." Namiko interjected firmly, though she agreed with everything Riku was saying. But the woman wielded far more power than she or Riku possessed at the moment, and she feared things could get out of hand very quickly.

"Daddy, please," Nina urged desperately. "Just let it go."

"You cops make me sick. I bet the little fucker's father is the one who signs your paychecks. You'd probably let him get away with murder too. Tell, me. Is this the first time you let him off the hook for a DUI?"

"One more word and I'm taking you in." She threatened.

"Riku!" Namiko bounded over and took Riku's clenched jaw in between her thumb and index finger, pulling her head down to her level so she could whisper, "Be silent!" Into her ear.

"But Obaa-san…"

"Enough!" Namiko hissed. The old woman's eyes were angry, but that anger was not directed at Riku.

She believed Riku was right in every way, hell, she'd said the very thing Namiko had been too wise to utter aloud. But she didn't want this already horrible day to get even worse by Riku being thrown in jail for speaking her mind.

Riku frowned deeply, but did what the matriarch asked of her and took a few steps back. Nina wrapped her arms around her dad's waist in an effort to assist her in calming down.

"She's right, you know." Nao whispered, looking every bit as agitated as their dark-haired companion.

"I know, but she's angry and that temper could get her into a lot of trouble." Namiko replied, glancing in Natsuki's direction. Her gut-wrenching sobs had ceased for the time being. Her face was hidden from view, nestled in Shizuru's bosom while the girl stroked her hair, whispering sweet things into her red-tipped ears. "This night must not get any worse than it already has been."

Nao's respect for the Kruger matriarch increased tenfold. Now here was a woman who'd just lost her only child, remaining strong for all their sake's. Nao wasn't blind. She could see pain plastered on her face, see the sorrow swirling in those agonized green eyes that shimmered with the tears she so desperately wanted to let fall.

Nao sighed and reached out to touch the woman's hand. It shook beneath her fingertips.

The cop cleared her throat. "Does she have a license?"

Nao nodded. "Yeah, but she left it in her wallet and her wallet's in her backpack. She didn't take it when she left. It's in the car. I could get it if you want proof."

Her pale blue eyes softened very slightly and she shook her head. Her face remained impassive, but she didn't seem as cold as before. Perhaps Riku's words had an effect. "No. My work is done here."

She slipped her badge into her coat pocket and slipped past them. Riku's eyes rose and followed her as she did so, as if she was actually watching her as she made her hasty departure.

"I'm sorry…"

Shizuru looked down as the words, spoken so softly she thought it was her mind playing tricks on her, reached her ears. Red-rimmed eyes stared back at her, simultaneously swirling with so many emotions that it took Shizuru's breath away.

A shudder passed through her. "I just wanted - needed - to see for myself, you know? I mean, this can't be real, right?" She laughed breathlessly. "My dad's the best engineer in Japan, she doesn't make mistakes. She's not careless. She wouldn't be oblivious to something so serious like a fuel-leakage. She's…"

"... Gone…"

"I'm so sorry, Natsuki." Shizuru whispered her throat and nose began to burn and her vision blurred as a sudden onslaught of tears came rushing in. Her fingers sought out the intense warmth of Shizuru's belly where her little girls resided, peacefully unaware of the tragedy that had just taken place.

A single salt-infused rivulet slid down Natsuki's cheek. "I don't know how to be a dad, Shizuru, and now the only person capable of teaching me how is gone. What am I going to do?"

"We're going to get through this, Natsuki," Shizuru murmured against the soft skin of her forehead, "I promise you we'll get through this."

Another sob broke through the flimsy barriers she'd built for herself. She pulled her only source of comfort even closer, unmindful of the pressure Shizuru's body put on her fractured collarbone.

"I need her." Natsuki mumbled into the fabric of her dress. "I told myself a long time ago that I'd never need her again because she left me… but I lied. I need her. I need her so much right now."

Shizuru knew Natsuki was referring to her elusive mother, and it broke her heart because the one thing she needed was nowhere to be found. Shizuru kissed her head as a wave of protectiveness washed over her. She wanted to take all of Natsuki's pain away and bury it within herself if that was possible. She didn't want to risk throwing it away where it could be found again.

What was she supposed to say? She couldn't bring herself to speak on the behalf of Natsuki's mother. "I know, darling," She said softly, "And I would go to hell and back to find her for you."

She was too exhausted to shed anymore tears. Her eye-lids felt like they weighed tons. She wanted to be strong, but she couldn't conjure up the will to do so.

At that moment, an older woman with rapidly greying brown hair and withering beauty stepped into the room. Her hands were stuffed in the pockets of her lab coat, her features sympathetic. She'd heard about the explosion on the news, and soon all of the hospitals, including this one, would be filled to the brim with the injured.

"Is there an adult I can talk to?" She inquired gently.

Shizuru gestured to Namiko, who was still trying to calm an extremely irate Riku down in the hallway.

"Miss Kruger?"

The old woman's bloodshot green eyes met the newcomer's pitch black ones. "Yes?"

"My name's Yuri Nishimura. I'm your daughter's doctor."

"Granddaughter." Namiko corrected.

"Huh?"

"Granddaughter. Natsuki is my granddaughter." She replied softly.

"Oh, forgive me," Dr. Nishimura said apologetically, "You two look a lot alike."

"She's the spitting image of her mother with her father's eyes." Namiko breathed quietly. "People used to say that about my daughter and I, only they thought we were sisters at times."

"I'm so sorry for your loss."

"As am I." Namiko briefly closed her eyes so she could regain control of her emotions. "What do you wish to speak about?"

"I'm sure you're aware of the extent of your daughter's physical injuries. Her fractured clavicle, her bruised ribs, and the gash on her temple that required seven stitches." Nishimura said.

"Yes."

"Well, I'm more concerned about her mental state. What she's going through right now is called bereavement, the deep grief following the death of a loved one. It's a normal response to loss; however, it may evolve into a more serious disorder such as complicated grief and major depressive disorder."

"I'm aware." Namiko replied. "She's in a great deal of pain, a pain I have now gone through twice in my lifetime, first my wife and now my only daughter. But I will do everything in my power to make sure she heals from this. I will take care of her, for she is my granddaughter, and my daughter's living memory."

"You're a strong woman, Namiko Kruger." Nishimura breathed.

"I have to be. For all their sake's."

"Hospitals can have a negative effect on victims of shock." Nishimura said after a few moments of silence. "I would highly recommend she recover in the comfort of her own home. I could show you how to redress her bandages and care for her wounds."

"She'll stay with me. They all will. That house will bring them nothing but haunting memories. I am the contact on her emergency card and the sole guardian if something were to happen to her father." Namiko explained.

Paperwork was exchanged after that, followed by a quick demonstration on how to tend to Natsuki's wounds. Shizuru silently offered to take over the task of doing so. Namiko thought Natsuki couldn't have chosen a better girlfriend.

"Her stitches are eligible to come out Friday, but she'll have to manage the sling for at least four weeks. If she has any trouble speaking, sleeping, eating, or if she gets tired too quickly bring her back immediately."

Namiko and the others nodded.

Riku shrugged off her jacket and threw it over Natsuki's shoulders so her sling wouldn't get wet. She could hear the storm outside even over the noise of the busy hospital. "Everything will be alright, kid." Riku said softly.

Natsuki didn't reply as Shizuru led her to the car. Namiko shared a few more words with the doctor before she got into the passenger's seat. The sudan was really only built for four people so Nina ended up sitting on her dad's lap, something she hadn't done since she was a little girl.

The ride home was mostly silent. Little blocks of ice in the form of hail crashed onto the sleek red paint of the Mercedes' exterior, leaving tiny chips in the coating along the hood, roof, and trunk. Namiko hadn't witnessed a storm so ferocious in quite some time.

The skies were pitch black and humming with tension. Lightning flashed and crackled in the distance. Not to be outdone by its nearly silent counterpart, waves of rolling thunder howled soon after. If the trees hadn't been rooted in place, they might've been stolen by the ever growing tempest.

When they reached the house, Namiko could see Duran scratching and clawing on the front door, eager to go out and greet his mistress.

Shizuru gently grabbed Natsuki's hand and tucked her under her arm protectively. The dark-haired girl was slightly comforted by her girlfriend's lovely, familiar scent. It reminded her of better times, times when life didn't seem so cruel, times spent lounging on the couch kissing and cuddling without a care in the world.

Then her dad would walk in the room with that charming, ever-present smile and demand that they get one of their own. Shizuru would always giggle and Natsuki would always try to hide her blush in the skin of her girlfriend's neck.

Thinking about her father made her feel nauseous and frozen on the inside. She now felt like she was missing a part of herself. No, that didn't seem right. She'd lost a part of herself long ago because of her mother, and now another part of herself was dead and gone with the one of the only people that ever made her feel happy and safe.

She felt as lost as an abandoned dog.

She was so caught up in her own thoughts she didn't realize they were inside the house until the warm air heated up her freezing body and Duran's fur brushed her knees as he darted to and fro, unable to make up his mind about which individual he sought to comfort first.

He whined and tugged on loose sash of Namiko's kimono. The old woman smiled and pat his head. His blue eyes, frozen like the arctic, were locked unblinkingly with her own forest green orbs. It was almost as if he was trying to speak to her with his eyes since he couldn't use words.

"Take her to her room," Namiko whispered to Shizuru, "She needs rest. I'll make some tea for everyone."

The brunette nodded and latched onto Natsuki's uninjured elbow, directing her to the staircase.

It was only when Namiko couldn't see her granddaughter's troubled face that she allowed herself to truly break down, entirely unmindful of the fact that her other grand-children and her adoptive were still present.

Nao rushed to the old woman's side, her own tears cascading down her pale, frostbitten cheeks. Nina clutched her father's hand and hid her face in Riku's soaked bicep.

Upstairs, Shizuru reclined in bed and pulled Natsuki against her chest. The younger girl had exhausted herself completely and fell into a troubled sleep almost instantly. Shizuru's crimson eyes weren't fixed on any particular object as she stroked her beloved's head soothingly, trying to come up with things she could do that would hopefully would ease her distress.

Natsuki's hand unconsciously traveled up her body to rest on her belly. She'd almost forgotten she was pregnant with everything that was going on. Suddenly, being young and expecting didn't seem like the worst predicament anymore.

Seconds turned into minutes. Minutes turned into hours. Shizuru's eyes burned with fatigue. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand of Natsuki's room.

8:57 PM.

She'd been sitting there shrouded and darkness and overwhelmed by silence for four hours. Natsuki hadn't moved a muscle since they got home. She must be starving.

The brunette carefully disentangled herself away from her girlfriend's tight hold, brushing her lips across her furrowed brow before exiting the nearly pitch black room. The journey downstairs was swift and relatively silent, the only source of noise coming from the creaking of the old stairwell.

When she reached the grand living room, Namiko was there as well. She was standing on the veranda watching the rain beneath the safety of the canopy. Her hair, almost as black as the night sky pooled at her feet. Her ever-present guardian was beside her, sitting on his haunches with his back straight and his ears alert, looking every bit like a pure-blooded wolf from behind.

He glanced behind him as he picked up Shizuru's footsteps. Namiko's head also turned, and Shizuru almost gasped aloud when she looked at her face. Her bloodshot green eyes, almost black with grief, the tightness of her lips and the subtle furrow of her brow. Yet, her chin was still tilted skyward as if she were balancing something important on the tip of her nose.

She looked like a queen who'd lost everything. Her throne, her kingdom, her life. She'd never seen so much pain dwelling in a single soul before.

"How is she?"

Her voice was clipped, husky and strained from all the crying she did in the living room and in the safety of her own room hours before.

"Sleeping." The former heir said softly.

Namiko casted one last pained look at the storm before beckoning Duran back inside the house. The faithful hound weaved his way around Shizuru and curled up in front of the couch. "Good." Namiko replied, then she looked at Shizuru, really looked at her.

"The school sent everyone home for the day because of the weather. Your parents must be worried sick about you." Namiko fretted.

Shizuru looked away and unconsciously clenched her fists, a gesture Namiko's observant eyes didn't miss. "I doubt it…" She muttered.

"Reagan mentioned you were staying with the three of them, but she never explained why." Namiko gently clasped Shizuru's hand. "Does this have something to do with your parents, sweetheart?"

A deep, pained exhalation of breath from the nostrils. The furrowing of delicate skin in between fine brows. A mouth too pretty to do anything but smile did the opposite. "My father and I aren't on the best of terms." She said.

"And your mother?"

A sad sigh. "She died a long time ago giving birth to me."

"I'm sorry." Namiko squeezed her hand a led her over to the loveseat and eased the young woman down next to her. "You said you and your father aren't on the best of terms. Is there something more to that?"

Shizuru bit her lip. Her eyes snapped shut briefly to calm the storm brewing in her eyes. There was no way around the truth. The damage it would bring wasn't worth it. "He disowned me."

A gasp of shock. "Why on earth would he do such a thing?!" Namiko demanded.

"Because I'm pregnant." She whispered around tears.

Namiko's eyes darted down to her belly once, twice, three times before they met her own shimmering orbs again. The old woman was stunned into silence.

Moments passed without a word, and Shizuru was starting to feel anxious. Her palms grew moist despite the icy weather, her heart jumped in her throat as she waited for the old woman's response.

"Is the baby Natsuki's?" She asked finally. "Natsuki is the father?"

"Yes."

Namiko made a noise that couldn't quite be categorized. She looked like she wanted to laugh, cry, and scream all at once. Her delicate hand released its grip on Shizuru's, but before her anxiety increased yet again, Namiko pulled Shizuru into a strong hug.

"You foolish, foolish children," She almost cooed, her voice lacking anything negative. "But who am I to talk? I had Reagan when I was only seventeen."

Shizuru sniffled beneath the safety of Namiko's chin. The old woman rubbed her back soothingly. "How did you do it?" Shizuru inquired quietly.

"I had Ren." Namiko replied. "My mother died months before and I never knew my father. She never spoke of them. Whoever they were they didn't stick around long enough to get to know me. I was all alone before she found me and carried me through six miles of devastation to this very house where she nursed me back to health. I was terrified when I found out I was pregnant at such a young age, but she promised me that she'd always be there for me to support me and help raise our baby. It helped that she was already an adult too - twenty-four and in her prime."

"I won't lie to you, Shizuru. It will be hard. Sometimes you'll feel like you're on top of the world. Other times you'll feel like you're in hell. But I can promise you one thing." She placed a gentle kiss on top of Shizuru's head. "You'll be alright… both of you… If you stick together, you'll be just fine. And remember, it takes someone really brave to be a mother, someone strong to raise a child, and someone special to love someone more than herself."

The brunette buried her face in Namiko's kimono as her long overdue tears consumed her body. "We… We're ha-aving t-twins." She choked out.

"Oh dear." Namiko released a strangled laugh. "I'm afraid I don't have a heartfelt quote for twins yet… The first pair of twins in the entire family. You are truly special, Viola Shizuru."

"I'm not a Viola anymore…" Shizuru reminded her.

"You may have lost a family, but you've gained a new one." Namiko said gently, stroking her hair. "He can take your name, Shizuru, but he'll never take your heart."

"It has already been stolen, I'm afraid." Shizuru replied. Namiko sighed restlessly as the two fell into another heavy silence.

A flash of lightning briefly illuminated the dark room, revealing the figure at the top of the staircase. Awoken by the chill that came with the absence of her body pillow, Natsuki leaned against the wall, vaguely listening to the conversation below.

 _"How far would you go to protect the ones you love?"_

A familiar voice echoed in her troubled mind as a picture of the elusive stranger, Shinobu Namikaze, appeared in her subconscious.

"...I would do anything…" Natsuki whispered.

Another flash of lightning, brighter and longer than the first tore the sky apart, once again lighting up the entire house without need for electricity, but Natsuki had already slunk away, disappearing into the shadows like she was never there to begin with.

 **To Be Continued…**

 **(CCC)**

 **Once again, sorry for the wait! Next chapter will be up soon.**

 **Chapter Preview:** _Namiko plans her child's funeral, Natsuki searches for way to help support her family, both her current and her future, Namikaze returns, and Saeko's torn between two different lives._


	18. Chapter 18

" _She'd trade her guns for love, but she's caught in the crossfire. And she keeps wakin' up, but it's not to the sound of birds."_

* * *

 **#18:**

 **Tengenjutsu? Get Real!**

.

" _Myself ain't never talked to me like that before. I wonder what the hell she's searching for."_

 _._

* * *

Four days passed since the accident in a mournful blur. Namiko kept herself as busy as possible. Riku hasn't said more than three sentences and answers questions with half-hearted, one-word replies. Yukariko came for Nina on the second day worried senseless.

Her husband was with her. He influenced the decision that Nina return home immediately instead of staying with her family like she wanted. Riku hadn't been able to do anything but nod, force a smile, and kiss her daughter goodbye.

Nao was spending a lot more time with her mother in the hospital. Shizuru helped Namiko around the house as much as she could. They were all grieving in their own special ways.

As for Natsuki, she grieved in a more explosive way. She was extremely frustrated and irritable. Her injuries made it hard for her to do anything she normally did on her own. She was inexplicably but understandably angry.

She had yet to snap, but everyone knew she was close to doing so. They were walking on eggshells around her.

She was currently upstairs in her room wrestling with a shirt she only managed to get on halfway thanks to her busted shoulder.

An ill-advised jerk of her left arm had her bent at the waist as waves of white-hot pain coursed through her fractured collarbone. "Shit." she cursed, flopping down on the edge of her bed, waiting for the pain to subside.

"Natsuki?"

Her girlfriend's soft-spoken tones wafted through the cracked door. She pushed it open and stepped inside, not even bothering with knocking after hearing the pained obscenity. She placed one hand on Natsuki's uninjured shoulder and the other on her back. "Are you okay?"

Natsuki nodded slowly. "Yeah, just jerked it a little."

The older girl threaded her fingers through Natsuki's dark hair. When the pain dulled down into a manageable ache, Natsuki rose and wordlessly allowed her girlfriend to assist her with the offending fabric. "Thanks." Natsuki said.

"You're welcome." Shizuru replied.

She made a move to step away, but a hand on her wrist prevented her from doing so. Crimson eyes locked questioningly with dark emeralds. Natsuki entwined their fingers and pulled Shizuru close to her chest. Her chin came to rest on top of Shizuru's head. She basked in the lovely scent of her girlfriend's hair, comforted by her familiar presence. "I'm sorry."

Shizuru pushed against Natsuki's chest so she could meet her eyes. "For what?"

"For being an ass." Natsuki sighed.

"It's okay. You're going through a hard time right now." Shizuru easily forgave her. She didn't think she could stay mad at Natsuki longer than an hour. Besides, it wasn't like she was doing it on purpose.

"That doesn't make it okay. Everyone's doing everything they can to help me and I'm just being a brat." Natsuki was disgusted with herself. She was never a particularly angry person. Distant and perhaps even a little cold, but certainly not the asshole she's been for the last few days. "I don't know why I'm so frustrated. I mean, I know why but I don't know why."

She pinched the bridge of her nose with a perplexed click of her tongue. The brunette rested her cheek against her girlfriend's shoulder and wrapped her arms tightly around her waist. She thinks Natsuki's lost weight because she doesn't remember her waist being this thin. However, it didn't surprise her.

Natsuki spent more time idly pushing her food around her plate than actually eating it. The loss of appetite wasn't unexpected after a traumatic event, but it still worried her. "You don't have to go back so soon." Shizuru said after a moment of staring at Natsuki's book bag.

"I've been cooped up in here for four days. I need something to do to get my mind off things, and trust me; it'll be good for everyone." Natsuki picked up her backpack and slung it on her shoulder as best as she could without aggravating her injuries. "How are you feeling?"

Shizuru's about twelve and a half weeks along now give or take. She's been reading a lot of maternity magazines lately, and she learned that this is the time when the most dramatic developments occur.

The twins now possessed the ability to open and close their hands. Their toes will curl, their eye muscles will clench, and their mouths already adept at making sucking motions. If she prodded her abdomen, the twins would squirm in response. Although, she won't be able to feel it.

"They look like people now." Shizuru placed Natsuki's hand on her belly and held it there closely. Natsuki sucked in a surprised breath. Her girlfriend's tummy was hot to the touch, almost as if someone had lit a candle and left it to burn inside. "They're the size of a lime and weigh half an ounce."

Natsuki's features softened. Shizuru smiled; this was the closest thing to a real smile she's gotten from Natsuki in a while. "Obaa-san told me that she used to poke my dad all the time when she was pregnant with her at this stage. She said she could feel it. Do you think they can feel this?" she began rubbing Shizuru's tummy.

Shizuru tried not to squirm under Natsuki's touch. Her belly's extremely sensitive and Natsuki's hands against her flesh sent shivers down her spine. "I don't know," she breathed, leaning further into her embrace.

Unable to help herself, Natsuki gently dug her finger into the spot above Shizuru's bellybutton. The brunette squealed and slapped her hand away. "Natsuki, Ikezu! You know I dislike being poked."

"I'm sorry." She didn't sound sorry at all. "I was investigating pregnancy myths."

"Oh?" That piped Shizuru's interest. "And what other myths have you come across?"

Natsuki snatched her phone off the charger. The device was unharmed. Luckily, it had been in her backpack during the time of the crash. "If we put a pair of headphones on your belly and play Mozart our kids will be geniuses."

A honey-colored brow rose. "Ara, I think our kids will be geniuses even without the help of Mr. Mozart."

"Good because I don't think Beats are made to play Mozart." Natsuki twirled her expensive blue headphones around her finger.

Shizuru rolled her eyes and straightened the collar of Natsuki's jacket. It was a little big on her because it wasn't actually her jacket. It belonged to her father. It'd been left strewn on the back of the couch after their last visit.

Natsuki treasured it. It still smelled like her dad. She unconsciously touched her necklace; the last thing her father had given her before she died. Apart from a small chip in the fang, it was fine considering the seriousness of Natsuki's accident.

After making sure they had everything ready for school, the two walked hand-in-hand down the old staircase and into the living room where Namiko was sitting on the couch with the house phone pressed against her ear. "I know, Yukariko, but the girl wants to be with her father. I know he's your husband, but he isn't Nina's father nor is he yours. It's your decision as well as Nina's."

She smiled upon seeing her two charges. Natsuki noticed the bags under her grandmother's eyes and the fatigue in her movements. She's been all over the place the last few days doing the necessary paperwork to acquire custody of both Natsuki and Nao since their legal guardian was no longer present, and of Shizuru since her legal guardian wanted nothing to do with her.

She was also trying to prepare a funeral service for her lost child. The expenses for everything stressed her out too. Not only for the funeral, but now supporting three growing teenagers and two future grandchildren as well, including doctor visits.

"Yes, I'm aware of the finances." Namiko sighed. "I'll figure it out. You needn't worry about that. Focus on your daughter first and foremost. Yes. Alright, Yukariko. Take care. I hope to see Nina soon. Goodbye."

The phone was thrown carelessly to the side. Namiko rose to greet her granddaughter, hugging the dark-haired teenager tightly. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?"

"I'm okay." she replied.

The old woman noticed the bag on Natsuki's shoulder. "Are you sure you're ready to go back so soon?"

The younger Kruger nodded and made a move to scratch her head sheepishly, but her grandmother swatted her on the wrist scoldingly. "Aye yah," she tsked, "what have I told you about fiddling with your stitches?"

"Sorry, I forgot." Natsuki said. "But I really need to get out of the house, and I'm sure our friends are worried sick about us."

Namiko didn't know if Natsuki was truly as fine as she said she was, but if she wasn't she sure did a good job of hiding it.

 _Who are you trying to be strong for, sweetheart?_ Namiko mused. "Well then, if you truly believe you're ready to do this I won't stop you. But if it gets to be too much for either of you don't hesitate to come home. I'll be out most of today, but I should be home around supper time."

"Where are you going?"

"The bank for starters. Your grandfather left quite a bit of money behind in case of a disaster or whatnot. I never thought I'd have to use it, but…"

"Funerals are expensive." Natsuki said quietly.

The look on her granddaughter's face might as well have been salt forced into still open wounds. Namiko's heart gave a painful jerk, and her hand unconsciously ascended to rest on her left breast, right above the sore muscle.

Unable to stare at the pained expression on her grandmother's face any longer, Natsuki quickly decided to change the subject. "What's for breakfast?"

"Beef curry," Namiko said, thankful to talk about something else. "Now I know it isn't a traditional breakfast meal, but you've gotten skinny. You need to fatten up." She pinched Natsuki's uninjured right side, drawing forth a muffled yelp from the young woman. "And I'm sure the twins would enjoy it, no?" she finished, directing her last question at Shizuru.

Shizuru smiled. "Ara, certainly. They've got quite the appetite. I think they get it from their daddy."

"Hey," Natsuki protested, "I don't eat that much."

"You may not, but the sheer amount of mayonnaise you put on everything is enough to give you diabetes." Namiko chided with a semi-disgusted shoulder.

"I can go back upstairs if you two are just going to double team me." Natsuki groaned, half-heartedly trying to disentangle her and Shizuru's fingers.

Namiko ventured into the kitchen and returned with two plates. She encouraged the two to sit down and eat before gliding up the stairs to rouse Riku. Shizuru finished quickly. She'd been rather famished, though she was constantly starving all the time. She knew that the entire "eating for two - or in this case three-" was a myth, but she was finding more truth to that statement more often than not.

She was honestly still hungry. Natsuki offered her girlfriend her plate. She'd eaten her fill even though there was still quite a bit left. She just didn't have the huge appetite she normally had back yet. "It's fine," she said when she was met with expected resistance, "I'm full."

"Ara, are you certain?"

Natsuki nodded and pushed the plate into her girlfriend's hands with a ghostly smile. She watched her devour the remains of the curry in less than ten minutes. When she was finished, a tiny burp managed to sneak out. She blushed. "Ara, excuse me."

Natsuki couldn't help but laugh.

Namiko eventually returned with Riku. The woman's dark hair hung messily around her stunning face. She was dressed in loose black joggers and an old boxing shirt. A pair of dark shades rested on the bridge of her nose. She normally didn't bother wearing shades since she enjoyed the feeling of sunshine on her eyelids, but she'd slipped them on this morning.

"Good morning," she yawned like a cat and all but curled up in the armchair across from the teenagers. Namiko brought her a plate as well. "Thank you."

"Are you not eating having breakfast, Obaa-san?" Natsuki asked as the old woman slipped on a jacket from the coat-rack and grabbed her keys.

Namiko shook her head. "No, I have errands to run." She moved over to the couch and gave both teens a fond kiss on the head and threaded her fingers through Riku's messy locks. "But I'll be around for dinner. I'll see you guys at supper."

"Bye, Obaa-san." They chorused.

When the door finally clicked shut, Riku shoveled a few more spoonfuls of curry into her mouth before saying, "I heard you're going back to school today."

"Yeah." Natsuki confirmed.

Riku didn't bother asking if she was ready or not. She knew Natsuki had probably gotten that question a million times already. And besides, Natsuki knew herself better than anybody. If she thinks she can handle it, who had the right to tell her otherwise? "If you see Nina can you tell her I'm sorry and that I love her?"

Sorry for the fact that she didn't put up a fight when it came down to Nina staying with her family. She hadn't been in the right mindset and she missed her daughter terribly.

"Will she not be joining us anytime soon?" Shizuru inquired softly.

Riku's pretty face tightened. "I doubt the step-monster will let her. He'll do anything if it means "saving" her from the path of sin or whatever. And "sin" in this case is her crazy, unmarried blind father and her unconventional family. I'm surprised he hasn't broken her and Nao up." she snorted and set half-finished plate on the table.

Her actions were so fluid and confident. It was difficult to tell she was blind. Shizuru guessed it was from years and years of practicing using her other senses.

"I'll tell her." Natsuki promised. "You sure you're going to be okay by yourself?"

Riku waved her off. "Yeah. I'm probably just going to sleep most of the day or something. And if I get hungry I can always eat Duran."

The dog lifted his head from his place underneath the coffee table. Natsuki hadn't even been aware of his presence. Eventually, the alarm on Natsuki's phone blared signalling that it was time for them to get going. She bid her dark-haired cousin a gentle farewell before grabbing her girlfriend's hand and tugging her towards the door.

XXX

Mai was the first one to spot the couple as they walked through the front door. She practically leapt from the table, completely ignoring the rest of Tate's absurd story. Her plan to jump Natsuki and give her the biggest hug she could've conjured up was foiled when she caught sight of the brace on her shoulder.

"Oh god, what happened to you? Are you okay?" she fretted.

Natsuki nodded and tightened her grip on her girlfriend's hand. Shizuru noticed but decided not to comment. "I'm fine. Just a little banged up is all." she offered her friend a small smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Dude!" Tate howled, skidding to a stop mere inches out of Natsuki's personal space. Like Mai, he also wanted to hug the life out of the blue-haired girl. "You look like shit."

Mai elbowed him in the side. "Gee, thanks, Tate." Natsuki drawled.

He winced. "Sorry, I'm just worried is all." He ran a hand through his hair. Natsuki and Shizuru both noticed how long it had gotten. It hung in his face in a floppy, untamed mess. He was also sporting a good deal of facial hair, as if he hadn't bothered shaving for the past few days.

Mai's round face was absent of any makeup, and her own hair was pulled back into a hazardous ponytail. It was safe to say they looked how Natsuki felt.

"You guys don't look so good either." Natsuki said.

"Well," Tate rubbed his chin, "We're bros, you know? When you're down we're down. And your dad…"

"... She was like our dad too." Mai finished when he faltered. "We're going to miss her."

"We can all look like shit together." Tate said.

Natsuki looked away. Shizuru hugged her. "You guys suck." she choked out, but wrapped her good arm around their shoulders anyway.

XXX

Aoi approached Natsuki during the passing period.

"Hello, Natsuki." Aoi said cheerfully, her blue eyes bright.

Natsuki was a bit weary of the brunette to be honest. There was something strange about the girl, and not just because she somehow knew the stranger Natsuki often found herself thinking about every time she looked at a bottle of Colt .45. "Senoh." she nodded.

"I heard about your dad." Aoi's voice softened. "I'm so sorry."

Natsuki's locker slammed shut. She smiled apologetically. She hadn't been expecting that. It'd slipped. "Thanks."

"Mhm."

Aoi's hand shot out to grasp Natsuki's uninjured shoulder when she made a move to turn away. "Natsuki."

She tried to shrug out of Aoi's grasp, but her grip was like steel. Damn, this girl was a lot stronger than she looked. "Remember what I said."

"You're going to have to be a little more specific, Senoh."

Aoi's gentle smile disappeared, her expression turned serious. "It's going to be hard without your father."

Natsuki's brows narrowed, but she remained silent.

"You're going to need help."

"I don't need your help," Natsuki almost spat, "Or hers. I barely even know either of you."

"Think about it, Natsuki."

"There's nothing to think about."

Aoi sighed, releasing her shoulder. Natsuki took a few steps back, suddenly unable to stand in such close proximity to this mysterious young woman. Aoi, like the stranger from before, made the hairs on her arms and the back of her neck stand up.

"I'm going to be late for class." Natsuki said.

Aoi's smile returned. "Since when have you cared about being on time for class?"

"Since now."

Aoi waited until Natsuki was almost out of earshot before saying, "Kids are expensive."

She got the reaction she wanted. Natsuki stopped dead in her tracks. Her head whipped around, her eyes wide, her expression incredulous. She stalked back up to the shorter woman. "What did you say?"

"I said 'kids are expensive' Natsuki." she sang in that smooth, airy voice of hers. She poked Natsuki in the chest. "Especially twins."

She giggled at the dumbfounded expression on Natsuki's face. "Aw, you look like a puppy. How cute."

"How." Natsuki demanded, seeing as there would be no point in denying it. Aoi somehow knew things she shouldn't. She knew her girlfriend wouldn't have told her. Shizuru didn't even know her, and she knew that because Aoi was a second year, like herself, and Shizuru was a third year being a year older and all.

Aoi tugged on Natsuki's elbow and led her over to somewhere a bit less out in the open. They were now standing in the middle of an empty, rarely used unisex restroom. Aoi absently traced over a drawing of a penis on the side of the sink.

"I think you know how." she winked, her gaze drifting downward.

A blush erupted on Natsuki's pale cheeks. She placed a hand over her lap and turned to the side, effectively obscuring Aoi's view of her groin. "Cut it out!" she barked.

Aoi smirked. "You know, for being Fuuka's resident 'Ice Queen' you're awfully shy and easily riled up."

"Senoh," Natsuki growled warningly.

Aoi help up her hands defensively. "You call me by my surname, but you have no idea who the Senohs are, do you?"

She took Natsuki's silence as confirmation. She slowly circled the taller girl, like a predator. Natsuki didn't like it. She didn't like the fact that she felt like the sheep and Aoi the wolf.

"My family has been around almost as long as yours, best known for Tengenjutsu."

"Fortune tellers?" Natsuki translated, frowning. No one actually believed that silly nonsense, did they?

Aoi nodded. "You know, it was my grandmother who predicted Tei Mei's affair. How do you think she was able to hide her pregnancy for so long? She was also the one to fortel Kagura's death."

"Bullshit."

"Your were born December 23, 1997 to a single mother."

"Bull. Shit."

"Your favorite color is blue."

"..."

"You want to be a detective when you grow up. Or a professional motorcycle racer."

"..."

"'Keira' will be born first."

 _No fucking way._

"You-"

"Okay!" Natsuki exclaimed, her brow twitching with annoyance. She glared at Aoi. The girl's face was the epitome of smug. "You can't tell anyone."

"Are you ashamed?"

Natsuki's eyes darkened. With a furious growl, she used her uninjured hand to force Aoi against the wall. She'd never hit a woman, but she'd certainly assert her dominance. "I would never be ashamed of Shizuru or my kids. The way I see it, it's nobody's fucking business. Especially not yours."

She released her and backed away. Aoi wasn't deterred in the slightest. She straightened out her collar and folded her hands behind her back. "Of course. I'm just saying, though. Remember, if you ever need anything don't hesitate to let me know, Nat~su~ki." And with that, the enigmatic brunette stalked out of the bathroom, leaving a fuming and flabbergasted Natsuki in her wake.

"Gah! Don't say my name like that!"

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	19. Chapter 19

**P_ocahontas_X**

 **XOXOXO**

" _Waking up, half past five. Blood on pillow. One bruised eye. Drunk too much, you know what I'm like. But you should've seen the other guy…_

 _In my dark times I'll be going back to the street, promising everything I do not mean._

 _In my dark time, baby this is all I could be. And only my mother can love me for me. In my dark times, in my dark times."_

Dark Times - **The Weeknd ft. Ed Sheeran.**

.

 **#19: Memoires of a Broken Soul**

" **If your mom can't find it, it's gone forever."**

 **.**

There weren't a lot of things that ticked Shizuru Viola off.

She prided herself with her ability to remain cool, calm, and collected in even the most tumultuous situations. But there was something about the scene before her that really rubbed her the wrong way.

To any onlookers, she was simply rummaging through her locker for supplies she needed for her next class. But to a more trained gaze, one could tell she wasn't rifling through her impeccably clean locker at all.

No, her attention was fixed on the two individuals speaking in hushed tones a few feet away. Nothing wrong with that, really. Just two friends gossiping, right?

No.

Natsuki didn't gossip. Natsuki didn't talk to anyone other than herself and her select group of friends despite being so popular. So just who the hell is this pretty little brunette she was currently talking to?

"Ara," Shizuru mumbled to herself, "When did I become the jealous type?"

She wasn't. Well, at least she didn't think she was. What could she possibly be jealous of? Natsuki was hers and vice versa. They were living together, and expecting not one, but two bundles of joy. Surely this girl had nothing on her, right?

Right?

Although in her defense, this girl was standing far too close to Natsuki for her liking. She was close enough that Shizuru had no doubt she could smell Natsuki's body wash. Her hands were clasped neatly behind her back, but her posture was flirtatious.

Could posture be flirtatious? Well, if it could hers would be it.

Natsuki's face was set in that familiar soft scowl she wore at school. Shizuru knew her girlfriend well enough to know that Natsuki didn't really scowl on purpose. It was a result of her unique facial structure.

Her brows were just positioned low enough that it always looked as though she were upset, and the intensity of her eyes only added to that.

However, Shizuru took joy out of the fact that Natsuki didn't seem to be enjoying their conversation at all. (Was that selfish of her to say?) Oh boy, maybe she was the jealous type.

Natsuki's companion seemed to be having the time of her life. The way she giggled louder than necessary, (at such close proximity too!) and the way she swung those long, chocolatey brown locks back and forth.

Natsuki loved chocolate…

"Ara, when did I become so insecure?" the tawny-haired teen chuckled humorously. She looked in the mirror in the back of her locker and gasped when she saw the state of her expression. She looked like a spoiled child who'd just been told no.

She quickly fixed her face into that easygoing mask of serenity she always wore.

She looked longingly at her girlfriend. She wanted all of Natsuki's attention all of the time and she wasn't afraid to admit it.

"Hello gorgeous," a deep, sensual voice caressed the aggravated young woman's ear drums.

"Hello, Reito." was her disinterested reply.

Reito pouted and crossed his arms as he leaned against the lockers to Shizuru's left. "I haven't seen you in days and that's all I get?"

Shizuru reluctantly averted her gaze. Her best-friend's tone was only mock hurt, but she could see how much he missed her in his molten amber gaze. "Mou, I'm sorry, Reito. I missed you too."

She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek on his muscled chest. "It's okay," he mumbled, kissing the top of her head, "How are you? How is she?"

Shizuru sighed. "I am fine. She is frustrated and irritable and hurting and I don't know how to properly help her."

"You're going all you can."

"I feel as though it isn't enough." Shizuru whispered.

Is that why Natsuki was talking to that girl? Was she providing something Shizuru was not? "Who is that?" she inquired before she could stop herself.

"Hm," Reito squinted his eyes in hopes of catching a glimpse of the brunette's face. "Ah, Senoh Aoi. Just transferred from Cardair last week. Cheerleading captain, top of her class, and volunteers at the animal shelter on weekends."

Shizuru's dislike deepened.

"She's super sweet," Reito continued, oblivious to his friend's growing aggravation. "Funny too. She's already had at least twenty guys ask her out."

"Oh?" Shizuru's fingers tightened on the back of Reito's shirt.

"Mhm, but unfortunately she only plays for your team." he winked. Shizuru went from being comforted by his presence to wanting to poke his eye out just like that.

To Shizuru's extreme relief, Natsuki took that exact moment to look around and locked eyes with her. Her expression softened. Those dark brows rose just a smidget, and her green eyes twinkled. She was happy to see her.

Shizuru was happy to see her too.

The girl's head turned, probably interested in seeing what got her broody companion so uplifted. Shizuru tried not to sneer; damn, she was beautiful. She had pretty lips, soft round features, and her eyes were a shade of blue Shizuru had only ever seen on wolves. Surely, they couldn't be real.

They had to be contacts, of course.

Natsuki stepped around the girl intent on reaching her girlfriend. To Shizuru's dismay, the girl followed.

"Hey," Natsuki said, sliding her good arm around her shoulders. Her lips pressed against Shizuru's temple. The PDA caught Shizuru off-guard, but she didn't let it show. Her hand rose to rest on Natsuki's abdomen, dangerously low on her waistline.

"Uh Shizuru, this is Aoi." Natsuki continued. "She's new."

"Ara, it is a pleasure." Shizuru said, hugging Natsuki's arm possessively.

Aoi's eyes shamelessly gave Shizuru a once-over. Shizuru silently bristled. The dark-haired brunette smiled like she was satisfied with what she saw. "Likewise." even her voice made Shizuru's insides boil.

How dare her words sound like sweet symphonies!?

"Reito," Aoi dipped her head in greeting. The boy smiled back. "Natsuki was just telling me about you." she directed her last statement at Shizuru.

"Oh?" Shizuru's response was a little less than a challenge. "Good things I hope." She stroked the inside of Natsuki's wrist lovingly.

"Great things, actually." Aoi replied, flashing Natsuki a disarming smile.

Before Shizuru could interrogate her further the bell rang, signalling the start of the next period. Reito quickly excused himself.

"Oh, gotta run," Aoi said, still smiling, "Maybe we can continue this later. I hope we can be friends."

"Likewise." Shizuru replied.

"Creep," Natsuki muttered once the girl was out of earshot. "I swear she gives me the…"

The rest of her sentence was cut short as Shizuru's lips claimed hers. She melted into the kiss instantly, leaning back against the lockers for support. Kids rushed past in their haste to get to class. Some ran into each other and inanimate objects while trying to watch the steamy kiss between Fuuka's Princess and the Rebel.

Pretty soon, the hallway was empty. Both were late for class, but neither cared. Natsuki's lips tasted like candy, something blueberry to be exact. Enamored with the taste, she began sucking on her girlfriend's lower lip. She smiled at Natsuki's sharp intake of breath.

Her left hand, the one that had been dangerously low to begin with, dipped even lower until it was right below Natsuki's belt. Her hand closed around the front of her groin, the unspoken word already present.

Mine.

Natsuki groaned very softly as Shizuru took her earlobe in between her teeth. Using her tongue to massage the hot flesh, she began nibbling and sucking around the diamond in her ear. "Fuck, Shiz." she breathed. "You're going to get us in trouble."

"Ara," another nibble, "Since when has the Big Bad Wolf been afraid of a little trouble?"

"Since trouble goes by the name of Haruka Armitage!" A familiar voice boomed somewhere behind Shizuru.

Shizuru and Natsuki jumped apart, but Natsuki managed to grab a hold of her girlfriend's waist to keep her positioned in front of her. She berated herself for wearing skinny jeans today. No, she berated herself for allowing her mischevious girlfriend to have her way with her right in the middle of a busy hallway.

Haruka was glaring at them, her foot tapping impatiently. "Well?"

"Ara, hello Haruka." Shizuru said pleasantly. "It seems the weather has improved."

"Good thing too! I was beginning to… Hey! Don't try to change the subject, Bubuzuke!" Haruka barked, wagging her finger in Shizuru's face. "Why aren't you two in ass!?"

"I was on my way…" Natsuki mumbled.

Shizuru pinched her wrist and straightened up when she felt something press against her lower back.

"This is all your fault." Natsuki hissed.

Shizuru couldn't help but smirk. Surely Aoi didn't have this effect on Natsuki. "Down girl." she teased.

Neither one of them noticed Haruka had been ranting until she went silent, impatiently awaiting their responses. "Are you to dead!?"

"Ara, deaf." Shizuru corrected.

"You know what I meant!" Haruka pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ugh. Since this is your first tardy Shizuru I'm going to let you off with a warning. You, however." she pointed to Natsuki, whose face was an interesting shade of red. "This is your…" she paused, and brought her hands up to her face to do the calculations. "Seventeenth tardy this month!"

"Ara, seventeen?" Shizuru raised a brow. "Really? It isn't like Natsuki isn't already here…"

"Twelve of those tardies are because of you!"

"Ara, how is it that I can make it to class before the bell rings but Natsuki cannot?"

"Maybe because you don't have to worry about anyone being able to see your junk when you're turned on?!"

"Fufufu, I wasn't aware that I made Natsuki's life so _hard._ "

"Gah!" It was Natsuki's turn to point the accusatory finger now. It didn't take a genius to figure out who was on the receiving end of it. "Y-you know exactly what you're doing!"

"And what exactly am I doing, Nat~su~ki?"

"You're trying to do me!"

"Ara, I'm afraid I have no idea what Natsuki is talking about."

Haruka was lost. She glanced back and forth between the bickering pair, uncertainty flickering in her bright eyes. She had no idea what was going on, but something was telling her she didn't want to either. Slowly, she backtracked the way she came. Neither one of them noticed. She was sure they'd already forgotten she was present.

Even the ever spontaneous Haruka Armitage knew when to leave something alone.

"...I think Natsuki needs to relax…" Shizuru giggled softly. Her warm breath sent shivers down Natsuki's spine. She found herself being tugged down the hallway, opposite of the way Haruka went. Her heartbeat sped up dramatically and her palms grew moist as anticipation began to set in.

She was already turned on. The bulge in her jeans wouldn't go unnoticeable. That's why she was sure to stay glued to Shizuru's hip.

Shizuru's hips… boy had they increased in size during these last few weeks. Just looking at them made Natsuki's mouth water.

The restroom was in sight now. Natsuki slid her arm around her girlfriend's waist and leaned her chin against Shizuru's temple.

Wait, since when had they become equal in height?! Up until now, Shizuru had always been an inch or two taller than her. A growth spurt must've crept up on her.

It's been days since they last had sex. With all the commotion going on it was nearly impossible for them to engage in such activities, especially with her still fresh injuries. The release would be good for both of them. She'd rather not have sex in a dingy school bathroom, but hey, if she learned anything in the past few days it was to enjoy the little things.

But alas, to her relief and dismay, Shizuru led her right past the restroom. Four minutes later she found herself standing right outside her fourth period classroom, staring at her girlfriend's back as she continued down the hallway.

Shizuru tossed a flirtatiously smug wink over her shoulder. "Ara, I do hope Nishimura-sensei doesn't call on Natsuki." she gestured down south.

"Y-you little…" Natsuki's reprimand deflated when she realized the comment wouldn't deter her girlfriend even in the slightest.

"Later," Shizuru mouthed before offering her girlfriend a happy little wave. It was only when she disappeared around the corner when Natsuki muttered, "Minx," and marched right back in the direction of the bathroom.

Nishimura-sensei and Advanced Japanese History could wait. Her not so little problem could not.

 **XXX**

"This is the last of her things. I'm so sorry for your loss, Lady Kruger."

This young man -she couldn't remember his name for the life of her- was probably somewhere around her granddaughter's age or possibly a bit older seeing as he was only an intern. He was standing in front of a set of polished steel lockers. One of which was opened, and decorated with small photos of various musical groups and family members.

A beautiful little girl with dark hair and bright green eyes outnumbered any of the other photographs two to one. Namiko absently traced the one on the front of her daughter's locker.

It was of Reagan and Natsuki on Natsuki's tenth birthday. The little girl was sitting in her dad's left knee with her arms folded, glaring at Nao who was sitting on Reagan's opposite knee sporting the same pose. Reagan's hands were settled atop each girl's head as she sheepishly smiled at the camera.

The young man grabbed the last few items littering Reagan's locker and packed them neatly in a little box. "Hang on," he said as he spotted something hiding in the corner. "This is actually the last thing."

Namiko's heart stopped for what seemed to be the thousandth time today as he extracted a long, silken fabric from a tiny compartment in the back of the locker. He placed it in her hands and took a few steps back. His youthful gaze was filled with admiration and awe as he stared at the seemingly divine being in front of him.

To most, Lady Namiko of House Kruger was a living, breathing relic from the past. Dressed in her beautiful silk kimono and still sporting a headful of long, gorgeous, knee-length nearly white hair, she looked like some sort of divine priest from the ancient world.

"She… kept this?" Namiko murmured as her fingers lightly feathered over the fabric of the object in her hands.

"Mhm," the young man pursed his lips, "I'm one of her… well, I was one of her assistants. She wore it to work every single day. I've never seen her without it."

"I… made this for her when she was only a child…" Namiko whispered. She brought the fabric beneath her chin and clutched it tightly to her chest.

.

 _Thirty years ago_

 _Fuuka, Japan_

 _5 years after Hiroshima_

 _Lady N. Kruger_

 _._

 _It's been five years since the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Five long years. Five years since I lost my mother. Five years since my near-death experience. Five years since I met the love of my life, and four years since I have been blessed with the greatest gift a woman could ever ask for._

 _A child._

 _Reagan is four now, and she is as hyperactive as ever. I cannot seem to get her to sit still for longer than a moment. She has my eyes, but she grows to look more and more like her father with each passing day._

 _She is rather large for a four year-old, not particularly weight-wise, but in both stature and posture. She is long-legged and agile, much like a deer, but she has the heart of a lion._

 _She is smart for her age, and wickedly clever. I seem to be her favorite person to play pranks on when Riku, her cousin, is not around._

 _When I first found out I was going to be a mother, I was terrified. I am fragile because of the injury to my back I sustained in Hiroshima. I was also very young, only seventeen with no real family._

 _My mother was all I had. I'd never known my father. Mother never spoke of them. I didn't even know if he were a man or if she were a woman._

 _I often thought about terminating my pregnancy. I was still very weak and very damaged from the war, but Ren reassured me that all would be well, and that she would forever be by my side._

 _She often left me alone for long periods of time due to her occupation as a soldier in the Armed Forces. That gave me a lot of time to think. I remember staying awake most nights until the sun began its ascension across the sky, simply thinking, contemplating, preparing myself for this new life._

 _Reagan was born three days early, on a night where the moon was an eerie shade of gold and the skies were being torn apart by meteor showers. Ren was there. I remember the bones in her left hand grinding harshly against each other under the pressure of my own._

 _She was delivered by her father. Ren was the first to touch this new life. I can still remember the look of wonder on her face when she gazed at her newborn daughter, with skin that was gold like her own and hair as black as the depths of the darkest abyss._

 _And now, as I watch my daughter play in the snow from my place resting comfortably on the veranda, I'm appalled that I once thought of…_

" _Mother!"_

 _Her tiny legs struggle to navigate through the piles of snow littering the ground, but her determination to get to me outweigh her exhaustion. By the time she reaches me, she is out of breath, but smiling in a way that takes my breath away._

 _Her bright green eyes lock onto the object in my hands. Her head tilts, and several locks of dark hair spill over her shoulder. She will need a haircut soon. Her tresses graze the backs of her thighs with every single movement. As beautiful as it is, she is very active and I want to prevent any accidents._

" _Play with me!" she grabs onto the sleeve of my kimono and tugs dutifully._

 _I offer her an apologetic smile. "Gomen, my love, but…" I trail off as the disappointment begins to dawn on her beautiful face. The cold makes my scar ache terribly, but seeing her look so upset made my heart ache even more so. She is an only child, and is unfortunately isolated from her peers at school because of her condition._

" _Okay." I say instead, and her entire face lights up. Her dimples threaten to swallow her cheeks whole. "But wait." I unfold the object in my hands. It is a fabric the color of the ocean. Blue. Blue is her absolute favorite color._

 _I rise from my kneeled position on the wooden porch and she slips her hand into mine. She swings back and forth excitedly, often times letting me take the bulk of her weight and kicking her little legs out as far as they could reach._

" _I wanna build a snowman." she says to me. She makes a move to detangle her hand from my grasp, but I curl my fingers around her wrist to prevent her from getting away. "Mother?" her eyes are questioning._

 _I kneel in front of her this time, resting my weight on my shins. Without breaking eye contact, I loop the fabric around her tiny neck, then I take a second to lean back and admire my work. I almost burst out laughing._

 _The scarf is much too big and long for her. It fits her like a shawl. The ends will drag in her wake, but she looks absolutely adorable. "Do you like it?" I inquire softly. Already, my stomach churns with waves of insecurity._

 _She mumbles something through the fabric of the scarf that I can not quite catch because the lower half of her face is completely hidden, like a Shinobi. After a few more unsuccessful tries she grows frustrated, and simply decides to just yank it down until her lips were free._

" _For me?" she squeaks._

 _I giggle behind my wrist, an old habit I never seemed to outgrow. "For you, my love." I tell her._

 _Her smile broadens until it brings new meaning to the word_ radiance. _She snatches the two dangling tails and stuffs them in her coat pocket so they won't drag through the snow. "I love it!"_

 _She throws her arms around my neck and rests her cheek on my shoulder. "Did you make one for daddy too?"_

 _She hasn't seen her father in weeks. Ren is overseas, somewhere in America. She writes often, but it is not the same as having her here. Reagan is growing seemingly faster than the speed of light. I fear one day, when she returns home, her little girl will not be a little girl no longer, but a woman, a woman right before our very eyes._

 _I hope that day remains an eternity away. With Ren gone most of the time, I am terribly consumed by loneliness. As a healer, I am often visited by recovering soldiers and nomadic families. As beautiful as it is to see such affection swimming among these families, it tires me._

 _It makes my skin prickle with jealousy. Too see husbands and wives and children so effortlessly at ease has made my insides twists with longing._

 _Reagan is my everything. If something were to ever happen to her I do not think I could bear to live another day. I'd sooner slit my wrists than let anything corrupt my baby. She holds a place in my heart like no other, and no other shall ever take that place. "No," I admit gently. "I did not."_

 _She stares at the scarf again, and I fear she may have changed her mind about loving it. Her eyes are very intense, far too intense for such a recently developed soul. They swim with intelligence and something else I cannot quite distinguish._

" _It's okay," her voice is unusually quiet. "Daddy's in A-mer-wi-ca. They say the streets are gold there. Your necklace gets hot in the sun. So the streets get hot out there too, so daddy won't need a scarf, right?"_

" _Right." I say softly, completely enamored with her innocence. Where on Earth did she get such an idea?_

" _Then I'm sure she won't be mad." she concludes, then lazily gestures at the snow beneath her boots. "I'll fly you out this place someday. We can go to A-mer-wi-ca too. Then we'll be a family."_

 _My heart skips several consecutive beats, and not in the way I so dearly desired. But before I can dwell on the comment, my child latches onto the ends of my hair and tugs as gently as she can, gathering my attention. "Play with me." she urges again._

" _Alright." I concede and drop to my knees before my child once again, not at all mindful of the frost eating away at my limbs._

 _Present_

 _._

"Ma'am!" The young man's tone was alarmed. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to upset you."

He waved his arms around frantically, unsure of what he should do. It broke his admitabbly sublimated heart to see an old woman so upset. Suddenly, something dawned on him. He was currently tending to Lady Namiko Kruger, Japan's living "princess."

Didn't his boss have a name tattooed on her wrist?

"Aw," he whispered, finally opting to pull the woman into his arms. _Natsuki? Nabiko? Natsumi? Something with an 'N'._

 _Namiko._

So his perverted assumptions were wrong. _Namiko_ wasn't a lover, or a stripper's name on a dare gone wrong, or a mistake of the past. _Namiko_ was his often times emotionless, stoic, sociopathic boss's mother. And he was the one responsible for destroying the tattoo on her forearm.

God, he felt like such an asshole.

.

.

.

.

 **Part 2 coming soon!**

 **Author's Note: Sorry about the delay, everyone! Reality is bittersweet, isn't it?**

 **Also, new content coming soon**

 **A special gift for a special friend**.

" _Bound by Blood: House of Wolves_ "

 **Ever wondered exactly how the Krugers came to be? A deeper look at the formation of one of the most exotic families in Japanese history. Includes a brief history of Kagura, the first "gifted" member of the clan, and the horrors of the war when the bombs hit Hiroshima and Nagasaki through the eyes of Namiko Kruger. Lots of backstories.**

 **Happy birthday, Sage!**

 **Your wishes for baby!Reagan and more Namiko will be granted soon.**

 **Until next time!**


	20. Chapter 20

**#20:**

 **She Ain't You.**

Natsuki didn't know what exactly she did wrong, but she did know one thing; Shizuru and her apparent attitude paired with her already volatile mood swings were beginning to get on her nerves. It was almost like the brunette didn't know if she was mad at her or not because literally, one minute she was running her nails teasingly up and down Natsuki's thigh, and another she was swatting her retaliating digits away.

They were currently walking home after a grueling day at school. Namiko's house was actually closer to the school than her father's had been. They could walk at a snail's pace and still be able to walk through the door within the hour. They weren't talking, which was odd enough. Usually, Natsuki would already have been on the receiving end of her girlfriend's immaculate teasing, but Shizuru wasn't even walking beside her.

She was a few steps ahead, about two arm lengths out of reach. Her purse hung loosely on her wrist. She could see her girlfriend's nude matte nails furiously tapping against the screen of her iPhone. She was probably telling whoever she was talking to how (apparently) Natsuki pissed her off.

 _This is stupid,_ Natsuki thought, rolling her eyes. _What's the point of giving me the silent treatment? That really doesn't solve anything. If I did something wrong just tell me so I can fix it…_

The dark-haired young woman's foot shot out slightly to kick an offending pebble out of her path. It softly nicked the left side of Shizuru's Armani heel. She threw Natsuki an agitated look over her shoulder. Natsuki just shrugged.

 _What could she possibly be mad about? I haven't done anything to her. Maybe its her hormones that's got her so irritated… I mean, she_ is _pregnant. Whatever, guess it's better to just leave her alone. Don't feel like getting yelled at._

They reached the house about ten minutes after the rock incident. Her grandmother's car wasn't parked out front like it usually was; she must still be out. Nao would probably be back some time later if she planned on coming home at all. She doubted it, though. Nao usually stayed at Nina's (unbeknownst to her parents) on weekdays.

Shizuru fished her keys out of her purse and unlocked the door. Duran excitedly greeted them as soon as they set foot inside the house. Shizuru mewled affectionately and kneeled down to scratch the chipper canine behind his ears. Natsuki awkwardly stepped around her and set her backpack down by the table before plopping down on the couch. She leaned back and kicked her legs up on the coffee table.

Shizuru refused to even look at her at this point. She ignored Natsuki in favor of Duran, who seemed to toss her smug looks over his shoulder every now and then. Natsuki's eye twitched. How long was this going to drag on? She absolutely _loathed_ the silent treatment.

She grabbed the remote from in between the couch cushions and switched on the TV. _Shingeki no Kyojin_ was on, but it was an episode she'd already seen so she wasn't really paying any attention to it. Shizuru eventually dismissed Duran and disappeared up the steps. The husky whined at the loss, then turned to Natsuki. He gave a series of short, excited barks, and promptly leapt up on the couch beside her.

"Oh, now that _she's_ not giving you attention you want to come over here after you just ignored my existence." Natsuki raised an eyebrow. Duran's ears drooped a little; he had the decency to look ashamed. "Nope, not going to work," she said firmly after looking at his crestfallen expression.

However, after a few adorable moments of him bumping his forehead into her uninjured shoulder, she relented and stroked his chin. "You're lucky you're cute," Natsuki muttered. Duran licked her cheek and rested his head in her lap with a content huff. They sat there for about fifteen minutes before the lack of noise began to make Natsuki uncomfortable. Even though she believed she hadn't done anything wrong, it still bothered her knowing that Shizuru was upset at her.

"Sorry boy," Natsuki lifted the dog's head out of her lap and placed a compensating pillow under his chin, "But duty calls."

He whined, but made no move to follow the dark-haired human. Natsuki slipped out of her shoes and deposited them by the side of the staircase before jogging up the wooden steps. "Shizuru?" she knocked on her bedroom door lightly. She didn't just want to just barge in; Shizuru could be naked for all she knew.

"Yes."

 _Yep, something's definitely up with her,_ Natsuki concluded after detecting the aggravated undertone in her girlfriend's voice. "Can I come in?"

"It is Natsuki's room."

The lack of _Ara_ didn't go unnoticed by Natsuki. "Here goes nothing," she whispered to herself as she pushed the door open. "Okay, what's going on?"

"Hmm?" Shizuru didn't turn to face her. She was sitting on the edge of Natsuki's bed rubbing baby lotion on her belly. Her dress was folded neatly on a nearby chair, leaving her in just a fancy bra that her rapidly growing breasts were beginning to spill out of. Her hair was pulled up in probably the messiest, laziest bun Natsuki had ever seen on her, and positioned loosely on the side of her head.

Natsuki sheepishly scratched her neck and leaned against her dresser on the side of the room. "Are you okay? You seem agitated." Natsuki decided that was the safest way to approach the situation. She didn't want to start off on the wrong foot.

Shizuru _snorted._ She fucking _snorted._

Natsuki's eyes widened; she'd never _ever_ heard Shizuru utter such an unladylike noise. The look on Natsuki's face elicited a small chirp of amusement from the honey-blonde. "Does Natsuki have to make those faces?"

"Uhh," Natsuki opened and closed her mouth a few times, but nothing came out. She couldn't seem to formulate sentences.

Shizuru rolled her eyes (That's two!) and sautered over to the younger teen. Her index finger pushed firmly against Natsuki's mandible, effectively shutting her jaw for her. "Natsuki looks like a fish."

Natsuki frowned. Shizuru made a move to step away from her, but she grabbed her wrist and gently yanked her back to her former position. Shizuru's cheeks burned slightly at the sudden close proximity. They were literally nose to nose. And she realized Natsuki _did_ grow a few inches in the last few weeks. _She_ was now slightly taller.

Shizuru's breath warmed Natsuki's lips. Her good arm wrapped around Shizuru's waist, pulling her even closer until their bellies were pressed intimately against each other, and Shizuru's arms were trapped in between their chests. Natsuki's face was stern; her brows were furrowed and her eyes were intense. Her mouth was set into a pout that was equal parts sexy and adorable. Shizuru felt her insides melt; how quickly the tables have turned.

"What's your problem?" Natsuki's voice was deeper than usual, a result of trying to contain her frustration. "You've been acting weird ever since fourth period."

Shizuru's agitation returned full force after Natsuki's statement. She looked away. She'd been having a good day until she'd seen Natsuki talking to that girl, _Aoi,_ or whatever her name was. (Just kidding, Shizuru knew her name, alright.) She may or may not have went through Aoi's file during a meeting with the Student Council meeting… She knew everything about her.

"Nothing." Shizuru grit out, pushing against Natsuki's shoulder. "Let me go."

"Not until you tell me what's wrong."

"I already told Natsuki nothing is wrong."

"Bullshit." Natsuki's fingers tightened slightly on her waist. "I can see it all on your face. Now tell me what the hell I did so I can fix it."

Shizuru laughed in a somewhat mocking manner; she knew she was being a bitch, but she just couldn't help it at the moment. "Natsuki did nothing. Now let me go."

"Shizuru."

"I said _nothing_ Natsuki."

"Then why won't you talk to me?"

"Oh, Natsuki wants me to talk to her? Why don't you go talk to _Aoi_?" Shizuru spat, then immediately regretted it.

Natsuki's face twisted in confusion. "Who the hell is… _wait._ Are you _jealous_?" she asked incredulously.

"What do I have to be jealous of?" Shizuru countered lamely.

"I don't know, you tell me."

"I am not jealous."

"You're lying."

"Excuse me?" Shizuru's eyes narrowed.

"Come on, Shizuru," Natsuki chuckled, "I know you."

"Oh, Natsuki knows me?"

"Mhm," Natsuki's head dipped so she could place a kiss on the spot where Shizuru's neck met her shoulder. Shizuru gasped slightly, and instinctively angled her chin to the side to give Natsuki more access. "I know you. _All of you._ "

"S-stop it." Shizuru whispered.

"You don't want me to stop."

"N-Natsuki is hurt. We mustn't."

"I don't need both hands," she replied cockily before smashing their lips together. Shizuru moaned, clawing at her girlfriend's shirt in an effort to pull her closer. Natsuki bit her lip hard enough to elicit a small gasp of pain and a tiny sliver of blood. The dark-haired teen pushed against the brunette's shoulder, effectively driving her backwards.

The back of Shizuru's knees hit the bed and she fell onto the mattress. With her heart beating faster than the speed of sound, she looked up at her girlfriend's dark, almost feral green eyes and saw her own submissive crimson orbs staring back at her. Natsuki said nothing as she began to undo the straps of her sling.

"Natsuki…" Shizuru began worriedly.

Natsuki ignored her and dropped the sling on the floor before kicking it under her bed and out of the way. She experimentally rolled her shoulder. The pain was there, but thanks to all the drugs it was very moderate. Besides, it wasn't her dominant arm anyway. Like Shizuru, she was a southpaw.

She straddled her girlfriend's hips and pressed their lips together again. Shizuru's arms wound around her neck, her legs around Natsuki's thighs, trapping her there. Leaning forward, Natsuki rested most of her weight on her left arm. Her long, dark hair fell like a veil around them, shielding their intimacy from the wandering eyes of the world.

Hot fingertips carefully explored the slightly rounded expanse of Shizuru's belly. "Take this off," Natsuki murmured, referring to her dress and tapped the brunette's ankle so she could release her.

Shizuru silently did what she was told and flung the expensive fabric into the far corner, leaving her in just her fancy (stolen) lingerie. Natsuki eyed her hungrily, reaching out to cup her breasts which were almost spilling out of her bra. She moaned, her own hand finding its place on Natsuki's groin while giving the dark-haired teen her sexiest "fuck me" eyes.

Natsuki carefully slipped out of her own shirt, exposing that yummy body that Shizuru loved so much. Her collarbone was still an array of multicolored bruises, but it didn't take away from her body's overall attraction. She loved the way the muscles in Natsuki's arms and abs flexed and constricted, it made her mouth almost as wet as the junction between her thighs.

And her tattoos. God, Shizuru loved her tattoos, especially the wolf eyes on her bicep.

She didn't break eye contact while undoing the buckle of her belt. Shizuru licked her lips as she hungrily eyed the bulge in her girlfriend's pants, so thick and long that it had to be tucked against her thigh. Now, Shizuru was a lesbian; she'd only ever found women and their genitals attractive, but there was something about Natsuki's odd anatomy that drove her crazy. Perhaps it was because she craved for something that shouldn't be there? Or was it just because it belonged to Natsuki?

Sometimes she found herself thinking about it… thinking about how thick and large it was when Natsuki was hard, how sometimes she woke up to find it pressed against her lower back or against her lips when she slept on top… How she really wanted to put it in her mouth, but she didn't think she was ready to give Natsuki "top" as they called it at school just yet. Natsuki absently stroked herself while gazing down at Shizuru's quivering form.

"Is this what you want?" she cooed, slipping a hand inside her boxers.

Like a snake poised to strike, Natsuki's hand shot out and latched onto Shizuru's ankle, dragging her the short distance to press their pelvises together. Natsuki wrapped that leg around her waist and pushed her erection as deep into Shizuru's clit as their clothing allowed. "You think I _like_ talking to Aoi?" Natsuki inquired. "You think she turns me on like _this_?"

She tore off Shizuru's panties, not caring if they ripped or not. "Do you know how fucking hard I was today, because of you?"

She did the same to her bra, and immediately latched onto her nipples. The honey-haired brunette gasped and arched her back, seeking more of her woman's magic touch. "You know what I did to that stupid bathroom wall? How long it took me to clean the stall when it could've been easily disposed off… inside of you."

Natsuki leaned over her, their noses were only inches apart. "Do you have any idea what you do to me, Shizuru? No woman has ever made me feel this way. The way you walk, the way you talk, the way you rub your belly when you think no one's looking… I'm always looking, Shizuru, I can't take my eyes off of you sometimes."

The young woman took a deep breath and pulled down her boxers, finally pressing their unclothed genitals against each other. Shizuru's fluids soaked her throbbing shaft instantly, and she found herself rubbing her tip against Shizuru's labia. "I just want to make love to you all the top, worship your body…"

She silently slipped inside, marveling at the feeling of being connected to the bombshell beneath her once more. Natsuki's had pussy before Shizuru, once, twice, maybe three times, but none of them compared to her. She'd hit it from behind so she wouldn't have to look at their faces - but she always wanted to be able to see Shizuru's - and pulled out each time because she didn't want to cum inside any of them despite always wearing protection.

She'd never wanted to be a father so bad until she met Shizuru. Actually, she never wanted to _be_ a father until she met Shizuru. Though it was unexpected and could've easily been prevented, she felt honored to sire Shizuru's children. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you," Natsuki admitted softly, thrusting gently. Her future wife's eyes widened, shocked and emotional. "I want you to be the one I fall asleep with and wake up next to everyday."

She gripped the headboard and picked up her speed a bit. Slightly breathless, she said, "I want you have my last name one day."

"And more children?" Shizuru's question seemed inappropriate for one so young, but neither of them cared.

Natsuki chuckled and pinned her girlfriend's wrists above her head. She nodded against the skin of Shizuru's cheek. "As many as you want."

"Three," Shizuru groaned as she felt Natsuki deep inside her tummy, "I want one to be like Natsuki."

"We'll keep trying until we get one then." Natsuki promised

"Mmh," Shizuru's eyes rolled to the back of her head, "I feel Natsuki everywhere."

"Yeah, baby? You like that?" she rotated her hips.

"Fuck," the curse seemed so foreign on Shizuru's lips. It was something she only did during sex, when she was high on ecstasy. "Harder, Natsuki, faster."

Natsuki positioned her right arm on the bed and stifled a pained yelp. It hurt like a bitch, but she didn't care. She wanted to fuck Shizuru's brains out, make her forget all about Aoi. Shizuru's nails clawed at her back, her teeth sank deep into her bottom lip. She then began to thrust harder and harder, until the bed creaked and the sound of her testicles slapping against Shizuru's womanhood filled the air. The smell of sex in the atmosphere was so thick it made her eyes water.

"Ah," Natsuki uttered after a few moments as the pain suddenly flared up until it caused her to stop altogether. She buried her face in the crook of Shizuru's flushed neck. Sweat rolled off her chin, down onto Shizuru's chest, and disappeared in the valley of her breasts. Her muscles tightened as the throbbing grew more and more unbearing. "Fuck," she said, sitting up and pressing her left hand against her collarbone.

"It hurts," Shizuru breathed.

Natsuki's frustration returned full force. "Fucking bullshit."

Shizuru gently pushed Natsuki off of her. Both groaned at the loss as the movement cost them their intimate connection. "Shizuru," Natsuki almost pleaded, pushing her sweat-soaked hair off of her face. The brunette didn't say anything, just pressed the palm of her hand against Natsuki's shoulder, wordlessly initiating for her to lay back. The green-eyed woman conceded and settled against the headboard.

She watch with rapt fascination as Shizuru untied her hair, allowing those luscious golden strands to fall around her shoulders in magnificent waves of honey and silk. She slowly crawled forward, stared straight into Natsuki's emerald windowpanes as she positioned herself right above Natsuki's rock hard flesh. Slowly, she lowered herself down, moaning gently as she was filled once more. Natsuki's hands found her hips.

At Shizuru's nod they began moving. Shizuru wrapped her arms around Natsuki's neck, pressed her lips against her damp temple, and held on for dear life as their pace increased. Warm liquids from Shizuru's core leaked down her shaft, making Natsuki's thighs slick and shiny, Natsuki knew she was close. She was too.

The dark-haired teen pressed her ear against Shizuru's breast, hugging her intimately against her torso as her release surged through her shaft and into her girlfriend's body. Shizuru came a fraction of a second after her, and slumped against her chest. They sat there for a moment, trying to catch their breaths before Shizuru gently took Natsuki's face in her hands and brought their gazes together.

"I have to tell Natsuki something." Shizuru's voice was hoarse, her throat raw from the sounds Natsuki squeezed out of her.

"What is it?" Natsuki's eyes were half-lidded. Shizuru knew sleep would claim her soon. Such activities paired with the medication she was on were bound to leave her exhausted.

She moved her lips closer to Natsuki's until they just barely grazed. Her eyes held none of the aggravation they possessed earlier, only adoration and another emotion Natsuki was only semi-familiar with.

"I love you."

The younger woman froze, and her eyes were suddenly fully alert. All previous signs of fatigue were gone just like that. Shizuru found herself cowering a bit. Had she said the wrong thing? Was it too soon? She wanted to take it back, laugh it off as nothing more than an earnest slip up but found herself unable to do so. The declaration had come straight from her heart not her lips, and those words were irreversible no matter how much the owner wished to take them back.

"You love me?" Natsuki's tone reminded her of that of a child asking their parent if fairies were real or something, awed and astonished. "Or…" the injured teen swallowed a bit, as if her next statement would make or break everything. "Are you in love with me?"

"I wish to spend the rest of my life with Natsuki as well." Shizuru replied with little hesitation, stroking her beloved's cheek. She pressed their foreheads together and said, "I am yours."

"And I am yours." Natsuki replied softly. "I love you too."

And with a sob of joy, Shizuru squeezed the life out of her human puppy as tears of joy poured down her cheeks. "I was so scared Natsuki wouldn't feel the same." She admitted.

"You?!" Natsuki was flabbergasted. "I'm still trying to figure out how you can put up with me!"

Shizuru giggled and peppered kisses on Natsuki's flushed face. " _Ara_ , Natsuki isn't so bad. Natsuki is perfect."

"I'm nowhere near perfect, Shizuru," Natsuki looked away, dejection in her eyes.

"Natsuki is perfect," Shizuru repeated firmly, "Natsuki has given me everything."

"Everything? Shizuru, I haven't…"

"No," Shizuru wasn't having any of it. She took Natsuki's hands in hers and splayed them on her chest, right above her heart. "Natsuki has given me love." She moved their joint hands up to her cheek. "Natsuki has given happiness and joy." Finally, the intertwined appendages came to rest on Shizuru's belly. "Natsuki has given me a family. So when I say Natsuki has given me everything, please do not argue."

The soon-to-be father's lips curved into a smile as she gazed at her girlfriend's tummy. "You've given me everything too. Ever since my mother left, I've never felt whole. And now that dad is... " she exhaled roughly through her nose. "... gone, I feel like I have no one. But I know that's not true because I have you. I have you, Obaa-san, Riku, Duran, Nina, and my friends - even Nao. So, I know I'll be able to get through this."

The younger teen fondly stroked her tummy. "And when they're born, I know I'll be smiling."

 _Natsuki is the prettiest when she smiles,_ Shizuru thought as she pushed her back so she could rest on her chest. Outside, the wind toyed with her grandmother's ancestral windchimes. The sounds mixed with the gentle roar of cars as they sped by, birds sang for the first time since the storm, and pink leaves from the massive cherry blossom tree overhanging Natsuki's bedroom window poured in. Natsuki pulled the covers up kissed her girlfriend's forehead. Her arms wrapped around Shizuru's lower back.

 _Wherever you are right now, I hope you can hear me and my last request before I have to let you go forever. Please, watch over us. Visit Obaa-san in her dreams, talk to Riku while she sleeps, love my mother in your memories, and let your legacy live in me…_

 _Father._

 _._

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 _._

 _ **Hiroshima Memorial**_

 _ **9:37 PM**_

 _ **Friday, December 12th.**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

If the security guard responsible for guarding the memorial from petty thieves were to take out his earphones, he might've been able to detect the sound of sobbing coming from deep within the preserved walls of the ruined tower. A single figure, dressed in the shadiest of black that did little to hide the startling auburn crimson color of their hair, was leaning against the memorial statue, staring intently at something in their decidedly feminine hands.

It was a picture of two females, a small child around the age of nine and an older woman who looked to be in her early twenties. Both had golden skin, inky black hair, and iridescent green eyes. They were smiling happily into the camera, a drastic contrast to what the mysterious red-haired woman holding the picture was doing.

An hour passed by. An hour of reminiscing. An hour of sorrow. An hour of reluctance, heartbreak, and despair. The woman's heart pounded agonizingly in her chest as she reached for the lighter hidden in her pocket. With great effort, she produced a tiny flame and held it close to the picture. It took fifteen more minutes of dull burning of the skin of her thumb and half a brick of lighter fluid to realize that she couldn't do it.

She moaned like a wounded animal and fell to her knees like she was unable to carry the weight of agony on her shoulders any longer. The skin of her left forearm was horribly damaged, and whatever had been written on it wasn't legible anymore. However, the ink on her right arm was still flawless. However, it wouldn't be for much longer. She didn't want to do it, but it had to be done.

Slowly, she activated the lighter once more and held it against the skin of her right forearm, right above the neatly, printed lettering of the most important thing she would be leaving behind. The pain of her boiling skin couldn't compare to the injury caused to her chest. As her past melted away in the night, she closed her eyes and whispered:

" _May the road rise up to meet you."_

 _._

" _May the wind always be at your back."_

 _._

" _May the sun shine warm upon your face."_

 _._

" _May the rain fall softly upon your fields and until we meet again."_

 _._

"Goodbye, Natsuki." The woman whispered as the smell of burnt flesh filled her nostrils and the photograph was carried away by the wind.

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 **#21:**

 _ **Shinobu Namikaze returns.**_

 _ **Natsuki searches for work to support her family.**_

 _ **Namiko makes a shocking revelation.**_

 _ **Shizuru experiences pregnancy complications.**_

 _ **And Saeko's search for her lost child comes to a tragic end at her ex-lover's funeral.**_


	21. Chapter 21

**Imperial Japan:(1868 - 1947)**

The Empire of Japan (大日本帝國 Dai Nippon Teikoku?, literally "Great Japanese Empire")[8] was the historical Japanese nation-state[nb 2] that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 to the enactment of the 1947 constitution of modern Japan.

 **Amaterasu**

Amaterasu (天照?), Amaterasu-ōmikami (天照大神／天照大御神／天照皇大神?) or Ōhirume-no-muchi-no-kami (大日孁貴神?) is a part of the Japanese myth cycle and also a major deity of the Shinto religion. She is seen as the goddess of the sun, but also of the universe.

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 _No Rest for the Wicked_

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 **#21**

 _"The future is dark, the present burdensome. Only the past, dead and buried, bears contemplation."_

 _(G.R. Elton)_

 **N** atsuki didn't go to school the following morning, but she did walk Shizuru. After yesterday's events, the couple seemed closer than ever. Their relationship had been solidified by the intense love making and the promises to be together for the rest of their young lives - not to mention the long overdue declarations of love.

Shizuru was sad that she wouldn't see her girlfriend around campus today nor be able to tease her at lunch in front of all their friends, but Natsuki was determined to look for a job to support her girlfriend, her daughters, and her grandmother.

Her grandfather had left a substantial amount of money in the wake of her passing - mostly for Namiko because her body was very fragile so working wasn't really an option - and Reagan until she was old enough to get a job of her own.

Natsuki would never allow her grandmother to take on the bulk of the bills, even though last night, when she expressed her desire to get a job to her grandmother, the old woman had been appalled and reluctant because she wanted Natsuki to remain entirely focused on school.

" _You're so smart,"_ Namiko had said with tears in her eyes, " _You could be a doctor or a lawyer if you so desired. Please, reconsider. Your grades will suffer_."

Natsuki thought a lot of that reluctance came because her father hadn't been in school much since she'd been taking care of Namiko since she was ten. She hadn't walked the stage because of that and the multiple jobs she worked, but she did return to get her GED and eventually enrolled at UCLA where she quickly earned a Bachelor's degree in Aerospace engineering.

But, the point was that no one in the Kruger family, despite where they were now, had officially graduated high school, and Namiko didn't want her beloved granddaughter to fall into that category.

" _I have to, Obaa-san_ ," Natsuki had replied, and watched as her grandmother's face twisted with sorrow. " _I can't let - I won't let you - work yourself so hard._ "

She'd clenched her fists and looked away. " _This is my burden to carry. I have a duty to Shizuru as well as to my children._ " her hand had unconsciously reached up to stroke her necklace. " _A wolf provides for her own._ " she muttered.

" _That fang has been in our family for generations._ " Namiko had veered off the topic, she knew there was no changing her young charge's mind. " _Kagura had slain the mighty wolf Amaterasu, and had given Tei Mei her head. The empress in turn wove a magatama for Kagura using Amaterasu's fangs. It was eventually passed down to my mother, then to me, then to your father, and now you. It represents strength, wisdom, and passion, all three of which I believe are characteristics of you_."

" _Then you understand why I have to do this,_ " the young woman had replied softly. " _I'm willing to be strong for all three of them. I love her, Obaa-san_."

Namiko's eyes had widened until they looked like vivid green saucers. If the top hadn't been so serious, Natsuki might've laughed at her incredulous expression. " _It's crazy right,_ " she'd said, " _but she's the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with._ "

" _Does she feel the same? I mean - have you two discussed it_?" The old woman had blurted out, then blushed furiously afterward.

Natsuki had chuckled and nodded. " _She feels the same, Obaa-san. We're planning to get married in the spring_!"

The look of shock on Namiko's face had somehow further evolved. The young teen had doubled in her laughter. " _I'm just kidding, Obaa-san_ ," she choked out, " _we're not getting married anytime soon._ "

" _Aye-yah!_ " Namiko's hand had caught the side of her head. " _You almost gave me a heart attack! Honestly, does everyone find humor at my expense?_ "

The tiny old woman had then found herself tucked against her granddaughter's chest in an affectionate embrace that caught her completely off-guard. " _Forgive me, Obaa-san._ " Natsuki had whispered softly. It had seemed like she'd been apologizing for a lot more than messing with her grandmother.

" _There is nothing to forgive_ , _no koniu._ " Namiko had reassured her. " _Follow your heart and do what you feel must be done. And remember, my no ko, I will be here for you always._ "

That conversation had given Natsuki the determination to get to where she was now, standing in front of a well-dressed woman in slacks at one of the many restaurants in the Shibuya district. "And you are how old?"

"I'll be eighteen in May." Natsuki replied.

"Are you in school?"

"Yes."

"Are your parents aware of your desire to take on a night job?"

"My grandmother gave me her consent."

"And what of your parents? Mother? Father?"

Natsuki's fingers tightened on the edge of the couch. "My grandmother gave me her consent."

The woman took one look at those intense green eyes and decided to drop it. She awkwardly shuffled in her office chair. It felt as though she were trapped in a cage with a hungry wolf.

As much as she would like to give the kid a chance, she believed that Natsuki's stoic intensity would come off as rude to customers, and in turn be bad for business. "I'm sorry, Ms. Kruger, but I'm afraid that we aren't hiring at the moment."

Natsuki sighed and stiffly stood up. She made sure to leave her sling at home because she didn't want it to possibly influence the decision to hire her or not. Her body was so sore and she was in a lot of pain, but she'd only just started. She couldn't give up now. "Thank you." She said quietly over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, but we're not hiring."

"That help wanted sign is terribly outdated. I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

"You're a bit too young, sorry Miss."

"Why don't you check out so and so? I bet they're hiring."

Those were just some of the many responses Natsuki received. After the last decline, she was just about ready to give up for the day, but she had one more place to check out. On the train - since she still couldn't use her bike - some kids bumped her on the way out, jostled her shoulder good enough to have her doubled over with tears in her eyes.

Her entire right arm was completely numb by the time she reached her destination, which was the outskirts of the city not too far from her grandmother's place.

She checked her watch. It was only a quarter past ten. She still had roughly six more hours to kill before it was time to meet Shizuru. She honestly missed her girlfriend, but she wouldn't admit it to anyone other than Shizuru - and maybe her grandmother if she decided to tease Natsuki.

They were texting of course, but the messages were few and far in between because Shizuru absolutely loathed texting in class and Natsuki's phone was tucked away in her back pocket so it wouldn't distract her during her interviews.

After about fifteen minutes of walking, the dark-haired teen found herself standing in front of a familiar, raggedy old bar. Her father's favorite, raggedy old bar - Ryoko's.

"Here goes nothing," she muttered.

As usual, there weren't too many people there. Most of that came because some people actually had to work during this time of day, and others believed they had some sort of standards. A few lone figures occupied the bar -old men with at least a single stool in between them - all fighting for the pretty bartender's attention. "Alright already!" She snapped, "I hear ya! Hold yer fucking horses."

She thrusted their requested drinks in front of them none too gently, causing some to spill and make a mess of the countertop. She dried her hands off on her apron and reached for the half-empty bottle of sake to her left, slamming it down in front of the man closest to her. "I've about had it with you geezers! Make your own drinks!" With that, she exited the bar, grumbling angrily to herself.

However, as soon as she spotted Natsuki, her expression changed. The blonde waitress hurried over and pulled the teen into a hug. "Oh sweetheart, I heard what happened. Are you okay, hun? How's your grandma doin'? Oh bugger, she must be devastated. Poor thing."

"We're okay, Sakura." Natsuki said. "Thank you for asking."

"You know you all are like family to me. Your daddy and I…" she broke off as a rush of emotions surged through her. "We were like this in high school." She crossed her fingers and held them up to her lost friend's only daughter. "Always knew she'd be something in life. Aerospace, eh?" She chuckled as a single tear rolled down her cheek. "Voted Most Likely to Succeed even though she dropped out, you know. And when you look at the life she's built since then, and the kid she raised… how can ya doubt that?"

Natsuki felt a wave of sadness wash over her. Everywhere she went, people recognized her because she was Reagan's kid. It'd never bothered her until now. It fucking hurt when she looked in the mirror - the spitting image of her mother with her father's eyes - and to know both of them were gone.

At least she knew her father was dead, but her mother? Where the hell was she? Did Reagan's death mean nothing to her? Did the well-being of her first born mean nothing to her?

"Sorry for all that," Sakura said sheepishly, dabbing at her eyes, "what brings you here, hun?"

"I'm looking for work," Natsuki told her.

"Work? But ya just got out of the hospital, dearie. Surely…"

"Please," Natsuki interrupted her, "just give me a chance. I need the money. Obaa-san's already up to the neck in bills - the funeral's going to cost a fortune…" the young woman paused and took a deep breath, ready to come clean to her father's old friend, "My girl's living with us too, her bastard father kicked her out."

"That's terrible!" Sakura barked. "Why would he do such a thing? Don't he know these streets are unforgiving?"

"Because she's pregnant."

Sakura's green eyes widened and her strawberry blonde brows disappeared under her fringe. "P-pregnant?"

Natsuki nodded once.

"A-and its yours?!"

Another nod, and a tiny smile. "They're mine. We're having twins."

"T-twins…" Sakura looked as though her knees were about to cave in. Natsuki quickly pulled up a chair and eased her into it. "Aye yie-yie, does… did your daddy know?"

Natsuki sadly shook her head. "We were gonna tell her… then the explosion… no, she didn't know."

"And your grandma?"

"She knows."

As one of the other waitresses walked by holding a half empty glass of gin, Sakura snatched the cup from the tray and downed it in one gulp, then handed it right back to the girl, who rolled her eyes.

Sakura rubbed her chin. "Well, we ain't really hiring," she began, and Natsuki felt her expression fall, "But for you, I'll put in a great word for you. Come back tomorrow after school, we'll have somethin' for you. Somethin' light, to start off, don't wanna aggravate those injuries."

Hope blossomed in the teenager's chest and she had to physically restrain herself from squeezing the life out of the blonde. Her shoulders sagged with relief. "Thank you," she choked out, "thank you so much. I promise I won't let you down!"

"Don't you mention it, kid. I'm happy to help. Now get outta here before the cops come! You're still underaged and I'm too pretty to go to prison!" Sakura barked.

Natsuki smiled and wrapped the woman in a quick hug before she turned and fled, eager to share the news with her grandmother. However, on the way out, she ran smack dab into someone. "Urgh," she groaned as the impact jostled her shoulder, "I'm sorr-"

"Natsuki, we have to stop meeting like this."

The dark-haired teen shivered as the familiar drawl reached her ears. She took a few steps back and found herself standing before none other than Namikaze Shinobu - who was by far the shadiest person Natsuki had ever had the misfortune of meeting.

The woman was wearing a simple black T-shirt and ripped black jeans. A lone magatama pendant hung from her left ear, black as the rest of her clothing. Her equally dark eyes lit up like a kid's on christmas.

Natsuki didn't know whether to be flattered or creeped out by the fact that a total stranger seemed so happy to see her - or frightened because said stranger looked every bit like the weirdo every parent warned their kids about. Honestly, nothing good could come from someone dressed like a shadow - or a Tokyo Ghoul.

"Namikaze."

"Long time no see," Namikaze fiddled with her earring, "I was beginning to think something happened to you."

"I'm fine." Natsuki mumbled. She didn't quite know why, but this woman made her feel very uncomfortable. All the alarm bells in her head and gut were going apeshit, but on the outside she somehow managed to maintain her indifferent facade.

"I can see," Namikaze purred, and crossed her arms, "I couldn't help but overhear the conversation that has just taken place."

"Were you eavesdropping on me?!"

"Of course not - I simply heard an interesting exchange of words and decided to listen in." Namikaze said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

 _Fucking creep_ , Natsuki thought. _Where the hell did she even come from?! Her shadow impersonations are spot on… popped outta slipspace like a Halo 5 Guardian. Hehe… Damn... dad would've laughed her ass off at that pun..._

"... And I was thinking…" Namikaze trailed off after realizing that her companion wasn't even trying to hide the fact that she could care less about what she was talking about. However, instead of being offended, Shinobu was amused.

"Oi," Natsuki crossed her arms (wasn't the wisest thing she's ever done…) "I've been meaning to tell you something."

"Oh?" Namikaze's interest heightened.

"Yeah," Natsuki said, then frowned deeply, "what the hell's your problem, lady?"

Shinobu blinked.

Well… she could safely say that she's been caught off-guard - something that hasn't in so long she no longer thought it was possible. _My, my, this little firestarter is proving to be quite the character,_ she thought as a smile made a pretty half-moon of her lips. "I beg your pardon?"

Natsuki's eyes narrowed. "You know what you did!"

"I do lots of things - you're going to have to be more specific."

"You know," Natsuki snorted, "having what's-her-face with all the smiling and the talking - gah!" Just thinking about Aoi and her perkiness made her head hurt. "-bring me liquor! To school of all places. I could've gotten expelled if they'd randomly decided to check backpacks or lockers or something!"

"Oh, you got my gift," Namikaze smiled, pleased, "well, did you like it?"

"NO."

"Huh," the older woman tapped her chin thoughtfully, "I knew I should've gotten gin - good old _Gin's Have You On Your Ass Gin -_ couldn't have gone wrong with that."

If Natsuki didn't have morals, she'd have punched her. Actually, no. If Natsuki didn't have a messed up arm, she'd have punched her. Good morals wouldn't have saved anyone if her body wasn't one big bruise. "NO - you - gah! I'm going home."

"Wait! Don't you want to hear my offer?"

"NO."

"Well, you're going to hear it regardless," Namikaze sang, "it's just a matter of who you'd rather hear it from. The lovely, incredibly perky at all hours of the day Senoh Aoi, or myself."

That stopped Natsuki in her tracks. Damn it, Aoi went to her school, _and_ they had the same History class. She'd probably jump at the chance to talk to Natsuki - who would rather take on an Awakened Madara with her bare hands than sit there and have a harmless, civilized conversation with the likes of _her._

"You got thirty-seconds."

Namikaze felt the thralls of victory begin to hum in her ear. As if in cue, the clouds moved to temporarily block the sun, casting a magnificent grey shadow over the bar. The birds suddenly stopped singing, the previously docile tempest sliced through their dark locks, carrying leaves and debris in its ethereal grasp. Natsuki felt the hair on the back of her neck and arms rise, her heart skipped several beats. She gulped and took a step back. "Oh," Shinobu chuckled, "I only need ten."

 _Shit just got weirder…!_

However, Shinobu just smiled gleefully and dug her hand in her back pocket. "Well, I actually don't have time to explain, so just take my card." She dropped the black piece of cardboard in Natsuki's hand. "My number's on the back. Give me a call when you tire of making…" she paused, disgust making a mess of her admittedly pretty features. " _minimum wage_."

If Natsuki didn't love her hair, she'd have pulled it all out right then and there. Shinobu's grin was the very definition of shit-eating as she began to backpedal towards her vehicle - a matte black Mercedes that looked like it was worth more than all the souls dwelling in the bar.

Foreign cars were already ridiculously expensive, but with its drop top and suicide doors, Natsuki bet she could pay for her entire college tuition - all four years and probably med-school - with the money Namikaze spent on her Beamer. "Until next time, Nat-su-ki." The older woman purred.

"Don't say my name like that!"

In an impressive show of raw horsepower and multi-colored exhaust fumes, Namikaze successfully managed to make quite the exit - gathering nosy, interested looks from the few patrons of the bar who ventured over to see what all the noise was about. Sakura's face was pressed against the gas, her eyes filled with wonder as she gazed at the back of the retreating Benz.

After it disappeared around corner, Sakura fixed her brown eyes on Natsuki. "Friend o' yours?" She mouthed.

Natsuki looked at the business card the mysterious woman left with her. It wasn't much - really just a fancy piece of black cardboard with her name and number written with gorgeous white ink. With only a minor twitch in her eye, Natsuki shoved the card in her back pocket. "NO." she said to answer Sakura's question.

"I suggest you make friends then," Sakura mouthed back, "never seen a real Benz before!"

"What happened to 'don't talk to strangers, Nat?" Natsuki inquired, doing her best Sakura-impersonation.

"Eh, just don't talk to the low-lives who work at bars! Ain't nothin' but trouble, I tell ya."

"Right." Natsuki deadpanned. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow."

It was only when she was making the journey back home did she realize that the skies had cleared up once more and the birds had resumed their singing - strangely after Namikaze had left. The only fault in Natsuki's theory that Shinobu Namikaze was in fact the devil was the absence of horns and the scent of smoke and brimstone - as mentioned in the Christian bible she'd researched for a class project way back in middle school.

"Guess creeps don't just come out at night anymore." She grumbled.

.

.

.

.

"Obaa-san," Natsuki called as she entered the house, "I'm home."

There was no response, but Natsuki knew her grandmother was home. Her car was still in the same place she'd left it last night. Natsuki sighed tiredly and made her way into the kitchen, famished, exhausted and aggravated. She spotted her pills sitting in between the toaster and the sink.

With an expression designed to accommodate her sour mood, she unscrewed the capsule and popped three in her mouth. She then filled up a glass with water to wash them down before setting the cup in the sink.

 _Where is everybody?_ Natsuki thought as her shimmering emeralds surveyed the quiet mansion. It was quiet enough to hear a pin drop. That, considering the sheer size of the estate and the colorful individuals who occupied it, was a little unnerving. She hadn't even seen a lick of Duran since she got home, which was even more strange because he was usually the first creature she saw, sliding all over the wooden floors with those long, blunt claws of his.

Riku didn't leave her room much anymore. Natsuki only ever really saw her during breakfast and dinner - and lunch if she was lucky. She understood the reason behind it. Her father and Riku had been practically glued at the hip since childhood with a bond forged on more than just the foundation of kinship.

The dark-haired teen shook her head. She didn't want to think about her father right now - even though she was all Natsuki thought about when she was alone. She abandoned the kitchen, but something caught her eye before she could make her way upstairs to her room.

The mansion's back doors had been left ajar. That explained why the house was so chilly. Her grandmother must've went to the shrine and forgot to properly close them. That explained the quietness of the house and the absence of Duran, he followed Namiko everywhere.

Somewhat eager to share the good news about finding a job paired with the desire to see the little old woman led Natsuki to slip through the cracked doors and begin the short journey to the shrine. It was difficult to tell the exact size of the mansion until you were standing at the very heart of it because of the abundance of trees and plants hiding it from plain sight.

There was a large cobblestone pathway that led to a wide, green space used for sparring. A small fountain where her grandmother's prized Koi - Rio and Sora swam their eternal circles around each other was hidden beneath the towering form of a cherry blossom tree. A large, magnificent staircase made of slate led to the top of the hill where the shrine was located. It was Natsuki's least favorite part of the estate.

It took her slightly longer than usual to reach the top thanks to her rapidly numbing body, but she made it somehow.

Two massive stone wolves guarded the entrance of the shrine - the Sun Goddess Amaterasu and her brother Tsukuyomi, God of the moon. Amaterasu wasn't actually a wolf, but Namiko used to tell Natsuki stories about how the Sun Goddess took the form of the mighty she-wolf Shunkaha in order to protect the last maiden and living member of the Kruger clan when they faced total annihilation under Emperor Hirohito's reign way back when World Wars were cool.

She didn't know much about Tsukuyomi, though. All she knew was that he betrayed Amaterasu and their other brother, Susanoo the God of the storms and sea, by killing the food goddess or something like that, and Amaterasu, disgusted labeled him an evil god and separated night from day - Natsuki always had a hard time remembering things like that. She honestly thought he was just there for balance or something.

Duran was lying just outside the shrine. It wasn't like he wasn't allowed to go in - Namiko had tried to usher him inside on more than one occasion - but he simply refused each and every time. It was strange - perhaps he thought himself unworthy to be in such a sacred space or there was some sort of spiritual barrier of some sort preventing him from doing so?

Natsuki ruffled his ears. "Obaa-san," she called, peering inside. The shrine was about the size of a small home, decorated with hundreds of paintings of wolves, deities, and interpretations of Takama ga-hara. (Heaven). The smell of incense reigned supreme over all else.

Natsuki spotted the old woman sitting in the very center of the shrine. Her head was bowed, and long, onyx magatama beads hung from her wrists. She was deep in prayer, and Natsuki thought about just leaving her be, but before she could leave, Namiko looked up.

She'd been crying again. The red-rimmed eyes and the frozen despair swirling inside of her emerald windowpanes weren't fooling anyone. Her kimono, shockingly, wasn't one of her usual bright silk gowns decorated with flowers and nature. This one was seemingly woven from the souls of the damned - black as a starless night with smears of crimson and scarlet on the sleeves in the shapes of kunai knives.

"Obaa-san…" Natsuki whispered sadly.

For a moment, Namiko just stared at her, her gaze so intense Natsuki had to suppress a shudder. However, as Natsuki uttered her title once more, she snapped out of her trance. "Natsuki?"

"It's me," the teenager said as she entered and took a seat directly in front of the older woman. It was then she noticed an equally dark fabric in her lap. _Dad's scarf,_ Natsuki commented internally, _never left the house without it._

Namiko gave a tiny smile and reached out to push some stray hairs back from Natsuki's forehead. "You look tired, sweetheart."

"I'm beat," Natsuki admitted, "but I found a job."

"I knew you could." Namiko still hadn't warmed up to the idea of Natsuki sacrificing valuable time for her studies to work, but she was happy that she managed to find something. "You must tell me where so that I may visit my favorite granddaughter some time." She ended with a wink.

Natsuki's grin was chicken-soup for the old woman's soul. "Hehe, so you admit that you like me better than Nina. And Nao."

"I said nothing like that."

"It's okay," Natsuki leaned back on her right arm, "you don't have to deny it. Duran's my witness, aren't you, boy?"

The hound in question barked and wagged his tail. "Traitor," Namiko said to him. He whined and hid his face under his paw, dejected.

Natsuki didn't know how her grandmother would react to her possibly working at a bar - a _gentleman's club_ in all honesty, but she wouldn't lie to her. "Eh, ever heard of Ryoko's?"

Namiko blinked and wracked her brain for familiarity, but couldn't anything on the first attempt. "I might have but never truly paid attention to it."

"Well, it might possibly but not 100% probably most likely but not really what you think but there's a chance that it could probably be mistaken for…"

"Natsuki."

The teenager sighed. "It's a bar."

Namiko sighed harder, pinched the bridge of her nose, and in a series of movements Natsuki was too discombobulated to follow, reached behind her to grab her wooden fan and promptly whacked her granddaughter with it.

"Ouch!"

"Aye-yah, Natsuki," Namiko glared at her, "A bar! You're not even eighteen yet."

"I'll be eighteen in May…"

"I know when you will be eighteen, and May is not for some time." Namiko replied dryly and crossed her arms.

 _Dang, that's where dad got that pose from… but it's somehow more intimidating when she does it._

"Look Obaa-san, I literally looked everywhere. I went to the Shibuya District, Downtown Tokyo, Uptown, the Kanto Region, everywhere, and no one was was willing to even give me a chance." Natsuki grumbled. "I would've taken anything. I'd have even scrubbed plates and washed floors, but no one - I mean no one - even looked at me twice. Ryoko's is the only opportunity I have."

"And this _bar,_ " Namiko said _bar_ like Namikaze had said _minimum wage_ , "is it or is it not a gentleman's club?"

"Nah, not really."

"Natsuki."

"Okay well, it's just a bunch of old dudes who probably watch Sailormoon on Sunday mornings and play League of Legends every night before bed. They hardly count as _gentlemen._ "

Namiko had to chuckle at that, but she was still upset! "And will you be serving these gentlemen - or lack there of - drinks?"

"She hadn't specified what I'd be doing, but she said something light so I won't aggravate my injuries."

"And will you be working long hours?"

"I dunno, she kinda kicked me out before she really gave me any information." Natsuki didn't mention her encounter with the Queen of Shadiness solely for the fact that it didn't seem important and she really didn't want her grandmother to hit her again for talking to _creeps._

"Well, I don't approve of your _occupation_ , but if it's the only option you I have I support your decision. However, I do not want you drinking, Natsuki. Especially none of that horrid liquor your father insisted on drowning her liver in." Namiko said sternly.

Natsuki brightened up. She could do that. She wasn't a big drinker anyway. "I promise, Obaa-san. But enough about my day. How are you?"

Namiko stroked the scarf in her lap. "I recently went to your father's workplace to collect her things, and they gave me this. I made this scarf for her when she was a child, I'd have never thought she kept it for so long."

"Dad never went anywhere without it," Natsuki told her with a small smile, "even in the summer when it was too hot to wear she still took it with her. She said it was her good luck charm."

"Did she?" Namiko asked, her voice hopeful.

Nodding, Natsuki said, "Yeah, and she said it smelled like home, which I took as it smelled like you." She chuckled and grinned sheepishly. "You always smell good."

Namiko giggled. "I try." The two shared a laugh before it lapsed into a comfortable silence that lasted for almost twenty minutes. Natsuki had resorted to lying on her back, staring at the wisps of smoke from her grandmother's incense during that time, while unbeknownst to her, Namiko had grown increasingly uncomfortable.

When the sound of rustling fabric from Namiko's kimono became unbearable, Natsuki sat up. "What is it, Obaa-san?"

"What?" Namiko suddenly refused to look at her.

The younger Kruger reached out to touch her grandmother's hand. "There's something bothering you. Tell me what's on your mind, Obaa-san."

"It is nothing."

"Don't," Natsuki said firmly, "you and Shizuru always get this look in your eyes when something's bothering you guys. Now, tell me Obaa-san, please."

Namiko sighed again and rose from the meditation mat, venturing over to a secluded corner filled with paintings of past relatives. She reached up to stroke one of the oil canvases directly above her head. "You know who this is." Namiko said softly, lovingly as she gazed into the eternal dark eyes of her deceased lover.

"My grandfather." Natsuki said.

Ren and her father could've been twins if Reagan had not inherited Namiko's stunning emeralds. Ren's eyes were deep pools of molten coal, slightly hidden by long, dark tendrils of sable locks. There was a horrible scar that ran the length of the side of her face, from her temple to the corner of her mouth, but did little to hinder her androgynous beauty.

"Indeed," Namiko whispered, "your grandfather was many things. Strong, silent, beautiful, smart, and possessed a domineering presence. I've seen strong men cower in her wake. She was not easily riled up, but she was troubled. War does things to a mind, horrible things. No amount of peace could sanction for the hell she went through."

Natsuki listened carefully. This was really the first time in the seventeen years she's been alive that anyone ever really took the time to tell her about her grandfather. Her dad had refused to even speak her name, and even the ever talkative Riku hardly mentioned her.

"She could be cruel. In the presence of others, especially war officials, I was simply her handmaiden, her maskless Geisha. I was not allowed to look her in the eye when they were around, or to speak. Her superiors were a lecherous bunch who were not afraid to to voice their opinions of me. There was this one man who often took advantage of my powerlessness, and when I had the misfortune of being left alone with him, he tried to undress me."

"He'd been so close," Namiko shuddered, "so close, but I screamed and Ren heard. She rushed in - I'd never seen her so angry. It was frightening. She grabbed him by his neck and almost lifted him in the air, swatted him aside like he was a troublesome insect."

"She sounds like a hero." Natsuki said.

Namiko glanced at her, a sparkle in her eye Natsuki had never seen before. "Strong and brave, she certainly had heroic traits, but there is something you must understand, Natsuki. As a woman growing up in the Imperial period, I, like many others, was owned by my spouse. I was her property. It was easier for her to find her role through her anatomy, but I was her trophy. Even my mother, single and raised by her father, who was a woman, trained me to believe that I was made to do my duty - to serve three people; my father, my husband, and my son."

"Ren did not enforce it when we were alone. In the solitude of our home I was her equal. No, in the solitude of our home I was her Queen. She did not touch me without my consent, she would only step forward when I beckoned her. But in front of others, she was my master. If I disobeyed her, I would be struck. If I looked her in the eye, I would be punished for dishonoring her. And the man who sought to have his way with me had dishonored her far worse for trying to take another's 'trophy'."

"Did she kill him?" Natsuki found herself asking.

Namiko chuckled, watery and dry at the same time. "No. She simply made him watch. To prove a point."

"Made him watch?"

Namiko turned her eyes back to the painting. "In front of them all - she was sure to make them understand that I belonged to her and only her. She was not gentle, I bled and could not walk for days. But I loved her despite the hell she put me through every moment of the day because she was heaven at night."

Natsuki clenched her fists. Did her father know what Namiko went through as the wife of a noble warrior in the Edo-period? Was that why she hated her so much? She would never lay a hand on Shizuru in a way that she did not like, nor was Shizuru her handmaiden or less than anything but her equal. If anything, Shizuru wore the pants in the relationship for lack of a better term!

"That treatment continued even when Reagan was born. Ren loved her, but she loved her from a distance and would not hold her, not even when she cried. She'd let Reagan play with her hair when she was meditating, but never spoke directly to her. For the longest time, Reagan thought her own father did not love her."

Was that why it was so hard for Reagan to warm up to Natsuki and take on that role? And it certainly explained why Reagan was so fiercely protective of her mother. The revelation of her grandmother's dark past made Natsuki shudder. She'd have never thought that some family secrets were so foul.

"But there is something that you must know before I tell you any more." Namiko finally looked her in the eye. "I never planned on telling your father because I believed it would destroy her already fragile relationship with Ren. And I never planned on telling Riku because she was already broken."

"Obaa-san," Natsuki rose from the floor as well, her heart in her throat.

A tear fell from Namiko's left as the incense to her left burned through its last branch. "Your father and Riku are not cousins."

The ashes hit the floor at the same time as Namiko's tear.

"They are sisters."

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.

.

God damn it, these family secrets are getting deep.

I decided to break up these chapters because it was getting far too long.

Next chapter will take off from here with a little more background on the Krugers' dark past, plus we get to admire the scenery from a certain pregnant crimson-eyed diva's perspective.

Updates won't be as slow as before! The better half of senior year is over so I can just sit back and take a breather!

Until next time, my friends.


	22. Chapter 22

**22:**

 **SNAKES, FOXES, and WOLVES**

 **[]**

Shizuru wasn't well-versed in the art of teenage slang, but she knew enough to know that the conversation between the two boys behind her (which was also about her), was lecherous and perverted.

She was sitting in her last class of the day, Advanced Biochemistry, which just so happened to be her favorite subject other than Calculus, but she wasn't really paying any attention to her instructor, who was practically asleep himself as he rambled on and on about chemical processes within and related to living organisms.

Favorite subject or not, Shizuru wished this class would hurry up and end. She was absolutely exhausted, both mentally from the four district tests she took in previous periods, and physically because of the strain her pregnancy put on her body. Her feet, ankles, and back were killing her.

The two idiots behind her weren't helping either. She honestly didn't know how they managed to earn a place in one of the most difficult courses Fuuka High had to offer because judging by the crudeness of their words, they obviously had no respect for women, nor did they possess even an ounce of intelligence.

"I'm telling you, Brock," one of the boys whispered loud enough for Shizuru to hear, "she didn't have a rack like that a few weeks ago."

His friend chortled. "She's always been bad as fuck. This info isn't new."

"Yeah, but seriously, she hasn't skipped any meals lately, bro. I mean, look at her. She was already fine with that whole slim thing going on, but now she's got something to grab on to."

"You're fucking right," his companion realized, and Shizuru could practically feel the heat of his lecherous eyes on her, "man, Kruger's one lucky motherfucker. If I were her, I'd be hitting that every night, bro."

He then made a crude gesture using his fist complemented by an equally coarse thrust of his hips that both went unnoticed by their teacher and sent his friend into a flurry of hysterics. Shizuru felt her cheeks heat up with anger.

Sure, she knew she was one of the prettiest girls at Fuuka, people told her that every day all day, and some of the underclassmen, boys and girls alike,flocked around her, showering her with compliments, but hearing such vulgar comments about her beauty and her body angered her. Honestly, some men could be such assholes.

Why couldn't the majority of them be like Reito? Or the quiet genius, Light, who was the very epitome of a gentleman? He sat a few desks behind Shizuru, and only spoke when he was called on. Girls obsessed over him too, but he was totally committed to his studies and everyone knew that.

 _Only an hour left_ , Shizuru thought with a perplexed sigh. She couldn't wait to go home, eat, and cuddle with her girlfriend. The lack of the dark-haired girl certainly contributed to her overall sour mood. If Natsuki heard what those two boys were saying about her girl, all hell would break loose.

"You think Kruger's hit it yet?" they continued, completely unmindful of the fact that Shizuru could hear _everything_ they were saying. They probably knew she could hear them too.

"I hope so, shit! It'd be fucking cruel to have a girl like that and not be able to fuck. I bet Kruger hits it every night before bed and every morning before school. That probably explains why she got so thick out of nowhere! She's finally started taking some Vitamin _D_." The first boy smirked.

"Man, lucky bitch," the second boy shook his head, "If she was mine, she'd feel me in her tummy and her throat every single day."

"Would you pull out, though? I mean, I'd try, but you know what they say. Thick girls have that pussy that'll make you wife her up real quick."

"Fuck." a thump sounded. The second boy must've hit his head on the desk. "I don't want no kids, Brock. But I can always fuck her once and throw up the deuces. I'm not raising no kids, no matter how hot baby mama is. The only daddy I'll be is hers."

Shizuru heard the two boys shake hands and burst out laughing, interrupting the entire class. Sensei stopped his lecture and fixed both of them with hard stares. "Uzumaki-kun and Takara-san, is there something funny you want to share with the class?"

All eyes, except Shizuru, who refused to look at the two morons, turned to the two boys. Uzumaki Boruto ran a hand through his fly-away blonde hair, smirking arrogantly. "Nah, go ahead and continue your lecture, Konohamaru-sensei."

Brock snickered in the background. Shizuru was far too ladylike to roll her eyes, but that didn't stop her from thinking about it. She didn't not like a lot of people, but Uzumaki Boruto was definitely on her black list. He was rude, cocky, arrogant, and incredibly annoying.

He thought he was entitled to everything because his father was a very powerful man. He had a younger sister, Uzumaki Himawari who was great friends with Nina, but she wasn't like her brother at all. She was very sweet and very humble.

"I want to hear the joke, though," Konohamaru-sensei crossed his arms, "in fact, why don't I call up your father too? I know he's quite the jokester too. I'm sure he'd enjoy it as well."

At the mention of his father, Boruto's expression hardened and he crossed his arms as a pout made a mockery of his lips. Brock awkwardly played with his pencil. "As I thought," Konohamaru-sensei snorted, "now where was I?"

The boys were quiet for the time-being. There was another reason why Shizuru loved this class, and it had all to do with Konohamaru-sensei.

 _Forty-seven minutes left_ , Shizuru thought, resting her chin in the palm of her hand. She could get through that, she told herself, and if Boruto had even a sliver of sense he'd stay quiet for the rest of the period.

XXX

Natsuki felt like she'd been punched right in the gut after hearing her grandmother's shocking revelation. "What?" Was all she could say at the moment. Damn, what the hell was she even supposed to say?

Namiko's long dark hair fluttered in the light breeze as she calmly regarded her astonished granddaughter. "Your father and Riku are sisters. Riku is not your first cousin. She is your aunt."

"I heard you," Natsuki said, "but how?! You said dad was your only child!"

Natsuki's voice had risen slightly, her posture had stiffened, and her eyes were hard. "You swore dad was your only child."

"Calm down, Natsuki." Namiko glided over and reached out to touch her shoulder. She wasn't surprised when Natsuki recoiled. "I will explain."

Natsuki crossed her arms, waiting. With that stance and those intense eyes, Namiko couldn't deny that Reagan was her sire. She'd already been a fool once. "Yes, Reagan and Riku are sisters, but I did not lie when I said Reagan was my only daughter. She is. I am not Riku's mother."

"But Oujo-sama was her father." Natsuki guessed.

Namiko gave a single nod and ducked her head. The pain had returned. "Yes, Ren is Riku's biological father."

 _Half-sisters_ , Natsuki concluded. "Oujo-sama cheated on you?"

Namiko fidgeted uncomfortably. "Yes and no."

"I don't understand," Natsuki clenched her fists, but it was more habitual than threatening, "are you saying Oujo-sama kind of cheated on you?"

"No."

"Then what, Obaa-san?"

"She did not cheat on me. She cheated on her wife. With me." Namiko whispered.

Natsuki sat back down. She had to. Her crazy day had somehow gotten crazier. If she hadn't just promised her grandmother that she wouldn't drink, she'd have gone and bought a six pack. The younger woman shook her head and frowned. "Is anyone in this family honest?"

Namiko's smile didn't quite reach her eyes. That face was certainly Saeko, but that wit was definitely all Reagan. She stroked Ren's portrait again. "When Ren first brought me here, I was seventeen. She was already married and her wife was already a few weeks pregnant with Riku."

"I didn't know Riku was older than dad." Natsuki said.

"In a sense, yes, but remember; your father was born quite early - about a month before Riku's birth even though Riku is older in terms of conception." Namiko explained. "Though premature, your father was a large baby. Her coming brought me great distress, and believe it or not, it was actually Ren's late wife who birthed her. Oh, was it a sight to see; the young Lord's pregnant wife delivering her wife's mistresses' child."

Natsuki was mortified. If she'd been in Namiko's place, she'd have up and left her grandfather as soon as she realized she was married, but not without a piece of her mind first! Geez, was dishonesty, deception, and wedlock a common Kruger family trait?

Namiko eventually abandoned her late wife's portrait in favor of another. Natsuki took a good look at the woman in the painting. She was stunning. She had a beautiful heart-shaped face, with skin that was only a shade darker than milk-white, and pretty pink lips frozen in an eternal pout. Her hair and eyes were a similar hue of dark brown. "Kokoa Mononoke was promised to Ren at birth. Although, back then arranged marriages were quite common, but I knew Kokoa loved her."

"When Ren had brought me here, Kokoa was not pleased. Though she tried to hide it, I very well knew. A Geisha's mask is only as good as her makeup." Namiko sighed. "Riku was to be the undisputed heir of the clan."

"But dad was born before her… and the title fell to her." Natsuki interjected, receiving a nod from the Kruger Matriarch.

"Kokoa was furious," Namiko said quietly, "absolutely furious. She claimed the title was Riku's by birthright. Everything had already been promised to the Kruger-Mononoke heir, and to be denied for the child of her wife's mistress."

"What happened to her, Obaa-san?"

Namiko's expression grew sad and forlorn. At that moment, a gust of wind crept through the crack of the shrine's sliding doors, extinguishing a nearby incense. Natsuki found that short, remarkable concurrence strangely un-coincidental.

"I was not the only one to lose myself when Ren died," the elder admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Kokoa took it much harder, if that is possible. One day she brought Riku over for a play date. And she never returned. I found out a week later that she died of a barbiturate overdose."

"How could she just leave Riku like that?" Natsuki fumed silently. The more she heard of her family's history, the angrier she became. The secrets she could understand. Every family had secrets. But the lies, the betrayals, the deception? These ancient women could have destroyed the clan far worse than any man it so openly feared, it seemed.

"I don't know," Namiko breathed, "I honestly don't think Riku was on her mind at all when she did what she did. Eventually, Riku stopped asking when she'd return and started asking if she'd ever come back at all. Then after a year or so the questions stopped all together."

"Does she know?"

Namiko shook her head. "All she knows is that Kokoa is gone. To what extent, I am uncertain."

Natsuki's hands coiled into tight fists. Her brows were furrowed and her jaw was rigid. Namiko was aware their sins were hard to swallow. She still shook under the weight of her own. The teenager's phone chimed in her pocket, and she glanced at her watch. It was almost time to meet Shizuru.

Natsuki leapt to her feet, happy for the interruption. She didn't think she'd be able to hear anymore with bad mouthing any of her ancestors. She did know one thing, though; she'd never treat her daughters like Ren treated hers, and never abandon them either like Kokoa and her own mother, nor would she turn against her own blood like Kagura did to Orikumo and Amaterasu. She vowed, so long as she was alive, to never let their dark history repeat itself.

"I'm going to meet Shizuru." Natsuki said quietly.

Namiko could sense her granddaughter's unease and her desire to leave. She didn't think Natsuki would come back to the shrine any time soon, if she decided to come back at all. She didn't blame her, though. Sometimes she contemplated whether or not she should cease coming to the shrine all together. Where it was supposed to provide comfort and repention, it lamely substituted with despair and guilt.

Natsuki left without another word, not once looking in her grandmother's direction. "Excuse me," she mumbled to Riku, who was standing at the entrance of the shrine with Duran by her side. She had his leash in her left hand and a bottle of water in her right. With the dark glasses on her face, it was difficult to assess the expression on her face. If Natsuki hadn't been in such a hurry to leave, she'd have seen the tears cascading down her porcelain cheeks, and realized that Riku had been standing there for quite some time.

The blind woman stumbled into the shrine. The noise of her heavy footsteps earned her Namiko's full attention. "Riku." Namiko said softly, extinguishing the last of the Lotus incense. Unlike Natsuki, she could sense her adopted daughter's turmoil.

"I figured she was dead." the dark-haired woman choked out. "At least by now. If I'd had known she'd killed herself all those years ago, I'd have slept easier. Or maybe not because I've been wondering what happened to mom for decades. I figured she just didn't want me anymore. It was a lot easier to blame myself for her disappearance because I assumed she just didn't love me anymore. Now that I know she killed herself, I can just be content with the fact that she just didn't love me enough."

"Riku…" Namiko felt tears welling up in the corners of her own eyes. She couldn't speak for Kokoa, never knew what was going on in that wounded Geisha's mind. But she could speak for herself. "I love you, Riku."

"Honestly, I'd always wished you were my mother instead," Riku dropped Duran's leash, much to the canine's chagrin, "I got my wish. So why am I crying now?"

Namiko didn't quite know what to say or how to console the troubled woman at the moment. She silently prayed to the Goddess for words of wisdom, but even in the face of one of her most devoted followers, Amaterasu offered no support, indicating that they must learn to fix their mistakes on their own.

So when Riku fled from the shrine in much of the same manner as her niece had done earlier, Namiko re-lit the incense, closed the doors, and began to meditate.

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Upon seeing her girlfriend approaching from the north, Shizuru had to physically restrain herself from dashing up the street (in heels, mind you) and jumping Natsuki in a manner that might've been more appropriate if they hadn't seen each other in years instead of the few hours they'd been separated.

"Hey, Viola," a familiar drone sounded somewhere behind Shizuru. The brunette cast a wary look over her shoulder and internally groaned when she found herself unfortunately graced with the likes of Uzumaki Boruto and his friend Brock, whose surname always escaped her.

Boruto gave her presumably what he thought was a sexy smirk, but in reality made him look like the arrogant little prick he was. The amount of cologne he was wearing was slightly nauseating. She was forced to breathe through her mouth as he got nearer and nearer. His red and black track jacket was unzipped, exposing his black tank top and the green crystal hanging from his neck.

"Uzumaki-kun." was Shizuru's short, icy greeting.

Boruto ran a hand through his fly-away blonde locks. "So, I was thinking you and I should get to know each other better."

"Is that so?"

He nodded. "I can show you a great time. My dad got me a yacht for my birthday last week. I was planning on taking it out for a spin, and I'd love for you to come along."

Shizuru glanced in Natsuki's direction. The dark-haired teen was still some ways away, but not far enough to where she couldn't see the two boys with her. She hoped Boruto could keep his mouth shut long enough to avoid conflict, but knowing him and Natsuki's temper, things could get really messy really quickly.

"I'm sorry, Uzumaki-kun," Shizuru declined politely, "but I am afraid I must decline."

"Why?" he furrowed his brows, completely thrown off by her refusal. He thought for sure he had her at yacht.

"I have no interest in what's being offered." Shizuru said bluntly, meeting his baby blues. He wasn't bad looking, not at all in fact. He just wasn't her type. She hoped, for their sakes anyway, that he wasn't anyone's type.

She made a move to walk away, but Boruto grabbed her arm. Strike one. "Come on, Shiz, it'll be fun. Just you and me."

"You and I," Shizuru retorted, snatching her arm away. "And I'm sure you already know, I'm not looking for a good time. I already have one. A great one, actually, so no, I must decline your offer, Uzumaki-san."

"Aw, come on!" Boruto threw his hands up, frustrated. His hand shot out to grab hold of Shizuru's bag, once again preventing her escape. "What's she got that I don't!"

"Real balls." a cold voice interrupted.

"Huh?" was Boruto's dumbfounded reply before he suddenly found himself on the deck, nursing a busted lip. "What the hell, Kruger!?" he roared.

Natsuki wrapped Shizuru in a tight, one-armed hug. Shizuru's arms wound tightly around her torso as she pressed herself intimately against her side. "No means no, asshole. Especially when she's not interested. And keep your hands off my girl before I break 'em."

By now, quite a crowd had materialized, eager to see what had gotten the Ice Queen so riled up. Many knowingly rolled their eyes and snickered when they saw who it was. Not wanting to be shown up by a girl, Boruto shot to his feet, trying to use his larger from to intimidate the smaller human. Natsuki was not at all impressed. "Got somethin' to say?" she inquired, ignoring Shizuru's warning hand on her shoulder.

Boruto smirked. Oh, he had plenty to say all right. "Yeah, more of a question, though. How come a Viola is out bumping uglies with a freak instead of with a real man?"

"A real man?" Nao's guffaw sounded somewhere from the middle of the crowd. "Bitch, where?"

Natsuki rolled her eyes. She'd heard all the hermaphrodite slurs a million times already. They weren't anything new nor were they clever. "Because she has standards, moron. I feel bad for the girl who finally lets you in between her legs."

"Ohs" and "aws" erupt from the crowd, egged on by a certain redhead who wanted nothing more than to see Boruto get knocked on his ass, even if it brought negative consequences on her friend.

Boruto's face flushed scarlet. Brock, the cat-eyed traitor, sniggered behind his hand. He rolled up his sleeves. Natsuki tucked Shizuru safely behind her. "Aw shit, he done it now," Nao said, falling dramatically against her girlfriend's flank, "he rolled up his sleeves!"

Shizuru listened to the crowd burst out in quiet murmurs about Boruto and his sleeves. She blinked uncertainly, not quite understanding the significance of the action until a rather helpful individual leaned in close and said, "rolling up your sleeves means you're willing to throw punches."

"Ara, thank you." she said, then pulled on Natsuki's uninjured hand. She didn't want any punches thrown. Her Natsuki was in no condition to be fighting. Truth be told, she wouldn't intervene if say, Reito or Tate or another capable individual were in her Natsuki's place. Like most of the student body, she believed someone had to knock Boruto off his pedestal, preferably with steel club of some sort.

The brunette was surprised at her own animosity, but then again; Boruto was annoying and she was pregnant and exhausted. Something had to give. "What'd you say?"

Shizuru was snapped out of her reverie by Boruto's incredulous shout. With his red face, shaking limbs, and labored pants, he looked as though he were about to blow a gasket. She suddenly wished she'd been listening to the taunts, wondering what Natsuki could've said to piss him off so much.

"You heard me," Natsuki spat, inching closer until the two were literally bumping noses. Shizuru clutched her girlfriend's shoulder.

"Natsuki, please," she begged.

"Listen to your bitch, Kruger." Boruto retorted.

With a furious snarl, Natsuki, injured shoulder and all, shoved the taller boy away. Boruto retaliated by throwing a wild right hook that she easily avoided. An expert jab on her part had him on his knees gasping for air. Shizuru was in front of Natsuki at this point, trying to calm her down. Boruto heard the murmurings around him: "Kruger's going to kick his butt." "What a pansy." "All bark but no bite, just like his dad." "Thinks everything is entitled to him." "Spoiled. Weak. Arrogant."

Hotter than a UV Ray, Boruto exploded with outrage. Natsuki pushed Shizuru away just as his fist crashed into the place above Natsuki's left breast, where she'd been only seconds ago. The pain mixed with her blistering temper, encouraged further altercation. She threw punch after punch, not once letting him get the upperhand. His face was a bloody mess after the seventh hook, and he could no longer stand steadily on two feet. Embarrassed and defeated, the boy curled up into a sobbing ball on the floor.

Natsuki stood above him, winded and aching terribly, but victorious. "Out of the way!" a voice said as a man pushed through the crowd, eager to reach the downed boy. He fell to his knees beside him, pulling him against his chest with comforting words. He wore an orange jacket, grey sweats, and black sandals. He had short blonde hair and brilliant blue eyes, and was in all honesty the spitting image of his presumed son. "It's okay, Bolt," the man cooed, stroking his son's hair.

"Dad…" the teenage boy sobbed, burying his face into his father's shoulder.

Natsuki watched quietly as all the fight drained out of her. The man caught her eye and smiled politely. He didn't seem angry at her for beating up his son; he just regarded her sadly. Natsuki found herself watching how gentle and lovingly he treated Boruto, like he was the most important thing in the world to him.

Kind of like how Reagan treated her.

The moves that had reduced the boy to a sobbing wreck had been taught to her by her father a long time ago.

A dark-haired girl stepped forward, her blue eyes unreadable. "He started it." she said, referring to Boruto.

The man pulled his son to his feet. "I know." he said.

More parents began to push through the crowd to collect their kids. Natsuki didn't move; only stared at the place where the man and his son had previously occupied. Seeing as the altercation took place after school and in the street, which wasn't considered campus ground, and the refusal to press charges by Boruto's father, Natsuki was left without penalty, but she did not remain unscathed. Her heart, big as it was, beat silently.

She'd have never thought that she'd lose everything at seventeen.

"Natsuki?" Shizuru took her face in her delicate hands, her nude matte nails stroking the skin of Natsuki's cheeks. "Let's go home." she whispered.

Nao stepped forward and squeezed Natsuki's elbow. "You still got it, mutt. Your old woman's got to be smiling right now."

Natsuki didn't respond, just allowed herself to be led home.

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"And she beat his ass in front of everyone."

A sensual gobble of laughter bubbled from the throat of one amused Namikaze Shinobu. Aoi could feel the vibrations against her cheek from her place nestled against her mistress's chest. She'd just finished telling Namikaze about the ruckus her favorite little puppy had caused.

"Serves him right," Shinobu snorted, "those Uzumakis, with their fighting spirit and suffocating stupidity, it's a wonder this hasn't happened before."

"He tried getting at me," Aoi suddenly said, "said his father just bought him a yacht and he was eager to _take me out for a spin._ Whatever that means. Men can be such pigs."

"And you said she froze after?" Namikaze inquired, bringing up another point of interest. Aoi nodded against her bare flesh.

"Boruto's father came to the rescue." Aoi's voice then took on a patronizing tone. "Wrapped him up in his arms and rocked him back and forth like a baby. It was too cute. She was just watching them, like she was mesmerized."

"Not mesmerized," Shinobu said knowingly, "envious. The girl's just lost her own father. A father, be it man or woman or anything in between, holds a special place in every child's heart. Although not as nurturing as the mother, infants, toddlers, children, and teenagers all look for that protectiveness and strength that is specific to the father. As strong as she may seem, she is still an orphan."

Aoi's face grew sad. "You're an orphan too, aren't you?"

"By choice," Namikaze snorted and eased Aoi's head from her chest, promptly turning over. Aoi's fingers reached out to stroke the thick black lines of Shinobu's Blood Dragon tattoo as she settled into a comfortable position beside her. "Mother could never hold her liquor. She died as she lived, under my own mercy. My father's want for a son turned him bitter; his death was not merciful. To think I was almost denied my birthright to rule the Yakuza because of my gender."

Aoi didn't seem at all fazed by the fact that her mistress just admitted to murdering her own parents. If anything, she'd been expecting an answer like that. "She is probably in disarray. Not only will she be held responsible for fatherly duties, but she must perform them without a valid example. I have no doubt that whoever raised her gave her everything they had to offer. Children who lose their dads have higher risks of developing problematic behavior." Namikaze continued. "The absence of her mother still haunts her and now her father's demise has left her alone. She is not in the correct mind state, do not let her appearance fool you."

"Then why do you want her so bad," Aoi asked, "if she's damaged goods?"

"The broken are the only ones among us who've truly lived. Pain can either make you better. Or it can make you worse."

"And how do you know which she'll be?"

Namikaze was silent for a while, so long in fact Aoi was beginning to wonder if she'd fallen asleep. "Call it tuition," Namikaze said, falsifying her speculations, "you know, children often seek to fill the hole most fathers leave with the affections of a stepparent. All everyone wants it to be loved, I suppose. Including our dear little puppy. I think it was fate that brought her to me."

"Are you going to be her dad now?" Aoi mumbled through a yawn, settling against her Lord's tightly muscled back. "You don't even like kids."

"I only like the bad ones; they're the only ones have a sense of self-respect. Natsuki is not a child, but she is young and she is desperate. She may not be crying for help now, but she will, and I will be more than happy to assist her." Shinobu smirked evilly. "Besides, I think she'll be of great use to me."

"How so?"

"Shh," Namikaze turned and pulled the covers up to Aoi's nose, effectively silencing any more inquiries. "Let's just say she'll be looking for that fatherly presence and I'm working on my parenting skills."

Aoi hummed and rubbed her belly, which had grown impossibly soft and swell during the past few weeks. "If it's a boy, I want to call him Sasuke."

"It won't be a boy," Namikaze said.

"How do you know?"

"Intuition."

"You don't have any."

"Which is why I'm vowing to work on my parenting skills. You know what they say, if you think you're ready to have a baby, get a puppy first."

"I have never heard anyone say that." Aoi deadpanned.

Namikaze didn't reply for two reasons: one was because she was Shinobu Namikaze and she didn't have to explain anything to anyone. The second was because Aoi had already fallen asleep.

Not that she'd have explained herself anyway.

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 **Next time:**

 **2 weeks into playing barmaid for a bunch of old dudes, making $10 an hour, and waiting for her shoulder to fully heal leaves Natsuki irritable and antsy. Shizuru's not making it any better, and to top it all off, her chemistry professor is threatening to fail her for the semester if she doesn't get her grade up soon.**

 **Enter the crimson-eyed chem-wiz.**

 **Oh, and Namikaze has up-ed her gift giving skills, presenting Natsuki with a not so little something with promises of more on the way.**

 **Chapter XXII: "the Crimson-eyed Chem-wiz and the Black Beamer"**

 **#NRFTW.**

 **P.S: Sorry to all you Boruto fans out there, but someone had to do it.**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23:** Three O'clock AM

* * *

 _"Such a funny thing for me to try to explain_

 _How I'm feeling and my pride is the one to blame_

 _'Cause I know I don't understand_

 _Just how your love can do what no one else can."_

Crazy in Love - Eden ft. Leah Kelly. _(Beyonce Cover.)_

* * *

 **Three Weeks Later…**

Natsuki all but collapsed on her bed after a long night's shift at Ryoko's. She had no idea how such a dingy, shady little bar had so many regulars.

But then again, the majority of the regulars were either single, perverse older men or married men unhappy in said marriage. So, it kind of made sense.

It was almost 3am. Light showers had made a damp mess of her silky black hair and her hoodie. The latter had been carelessly tossed aside while its owner rummaged through a drawer for a towel to dry it.

Her shoulder was fucking killing her. It'd been three weeks since the accident, but still the damn thing was hurting like no one's business.

"Fuuuuuck," Natsuki groaned as she sat up, kneading her fingers into the spot where her neck met her shoulder.

"...'Suki?"

Shizuru's sleepy voice sounded a few seconds later. The dark-haired teen's pretty lips curved into an affectionate half-smile as her green eyes took in the lithe form sprawled lazily beneath her sheets.

"Hey babe, my bad. I didn't mean to wake you ." Natsuki said apologetically, leaning over to kiss her girlfriend's temple.

She was only mildly surprised when Shizuru decided to take advantage of their close proximity and looped her arms around Natsuki's neck, effectively trapping her in place.

"It's okay, I missed my Natsuki." Shizuru breathed, stroking her cheek.

"Missed you too," Natsuki replied, albeit a bit shyly. It was still kinda new to her- voicing her feelings out loud. "Couldn't wait to see my girls."

Her strong hands wandered down to her girlfriend's belly, where the soft skin was extending confidently over the brunette's waistline. Today marked Shizuru's seventeenth week of pregnancy. She'd learned that both babies were roughly around the size of a pear. Shizuru didn't know if her mind was playing tricks on her or not, but she swore she could feel her daughters' fluttering movements.

Natsuki had been astounded when Shizuru first spoke of her skepticisms, and had all but flung herself to her knees and pressed her cheek against Shizuru's tummy. However, she couldn't feel anything other than her girlfriend's impossibly soft skin.

She'd been a tad bit disappointed, but still, it was exciting to hear Shizuru's breathless confessions.

Shizuru scooted herself impossibly closer. Fuck, she loved when Natsuki caressed her tummy like that. Her touch was something Shizuru found herself selfishly craving all the time.

Besides, she found Natsuki's attraction to her stomach and their children completely adorable. "Trust me, we missed Natsuki more. How was work?"

"Long as hell," grumbled the younger girl. The ache in her shoulder seemed to intensify as memories of the workload she'd taken up came rushing back to her all at once.

Shizuru picked up on her girlfriend's discomfort immediately. "You're hurting. Sit up and take your shirt off." she instructed softly.

"Mmhm babe, no." Natsuki shook her head tiredly. "You need to go back to sleep, it's late. You're gonna be tired tomorrow."

Shizuru smiled at her girlfriend's thoughtfulness. "Ara, Natsuki must be really tired. Tomorrow is Saturday. I have the entire day to sleep. And if I'm not mistaken, it's Natsuki's day off too, no?"

Natsuki chuckled at herself. "Damn, I'm tripping. I thought it was Thursday. Well, in that case…"

The two briefly pulled away from each other so Natsuki could take off her shirt. Tossing it carelessly on the floor, Natsuki shivered slightly as the cold air met her bare skin.

Shizuru frowned at the heat radiating from her girlfriend's shoulder. The joint was obviously irritated, and painfully swollen. With gentle hands, she kneaded her palms into Natsuki's flesh, marvelling at the strong, sinewy muscles and colorful bursts of ink decorating her shoulder socket.

Natsuki groaned in satisfaction as the tension slowly ebbed away.

After awhile, she turned in her girlfriend's arms all with the intention of nuzzling her face into the crook of Shizuru's neck. Her fresh, scent - something like coconuts and shea butter or whatever - was like ambrosia.

Natsuki steered more towards forest-y stuff like summer rain and shit with some sort of cologne to go with it. In other words, she was a bit more masculine when it came to body wash, so Shizuru's opposing feminine scent was more than welcome.

Shizuru was about to object, not having completed her massage, but the sight of her gruff wolf behaving like a puppy was just too cute. Natsuki rarely let her guard down, only showing her soft side to Shizuru with the exception of her grandmother.

"Ara, Natsuki must have missed me more than she let on." Shizuru teased lightly, resting her cheek lovingly atop a tousled dark head.

Natsuki could only grumble a reply as she felt a blush began to creep up on her. Shizuru was the only woman on the planet that could garner such a reaction from her. They remained interlocked for quite some time before Natsuki's empty stomach began voicing its displeasure about being neglected for so long.

Her girlfriend's airy giggle only caused her flush to deepen. "Ara, someone's hungry."

Natsuki sank further into Shizuru's chest if possible. But it was true; she hadn't eaten since breakfast. Damn, her grandmother's yakisoba was bomb… Just the thought of it had her mouth watering. She could vaguely hear her girlfriend's voice over the thought of food.

"Does Natsuki want chicken or shrimp?"

The dark-haired woman in question snapped back into reality, _finally_ revealing that beautiful face Shizuru had been dying to see all day. "Huh?"

Shizuru giggled again. Natsuki's confused face was fucking adorable. "Does Natsuki want chicken or shrimp yakisoba?"

A multitude of questions surged through Natsuki's head all at once. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, unable to settle on an response. It took a few moments for her to utter, "How'd you know I was thinking about yakisoba?"

Shizuru looked offended. "What kind of wife would I be if I didn't know Natsuki's favorite food?"

"..."

She'd done it again. Left the queen of comebacks speechless. Shizuru put a delicate finger to her lips, contemplating. "Ara, I just can't ever decide on what kind. I know Natsuki doesn't like to mix her-"

"Shrimp!" Natsuki blurted suddenly. She immediately threw her girlfriend and apologetic smile for cutting her off. It was just so fucking crazy how well Shizuru knew her - almost as well as herself, in a relatively short time considering Natsuki didn't exactly broadcast her feelings, thoughts, likes, dislikes, etc. "Wait, no. Shizuru, it's 3 o'clock in the morning. I'm not going to make you get up and fix me din-"

Shizuru's interruption of her statement was far more forgivable in her opinion. A simple yet succulent bite of Natsuki's lower lip had her eating her own words. She could taste toothpaste on Shizuru's tongue. It was still rather strong, inclining her to believe that Shizuru had brushed not too long ago.

It was something they both did every night before bed, which meant Shizuru had been up for a substantial amount of time before she'd deemed it necessary to shut it down, too tired to wait any longer.

Natsuki couldn't blame her. Her shift ended at 2:30am so she usually got home around 3. But her girlfriend was a stubborn one. She waited for Natsuki every night, including school nights where she had to be up at seven in the morning. Sometimes she'd nod off surrounded by the scent of her beloved, but she'd always awake upon her arrival.

Natsuki couldn't ride her motorcycle, of course. She'd been forced to take her father's old street tuned Mitsubishi Eclipse. Shizuru could hear its rumbling engine from the corner.

"Natsuki hasn't made me do anything." she breathed, cupping her beloved's cheek with a soft, warm hand. She gazed deeply into her girlfriend's beautiful green eyes, mesmerized by their seemingly endless plains of glittering emeralds.

She then brought Natsuki's knuckles up to her pretty mouth, kissing the scarred, tattooed digits with the utmost love and care before laying her cheek on the back of Natsuki's wrist.

"Natsuki has been working all day to ensure there is food on the table. It would be a failure on my part as your woman to not reward your efforts," the crimson-eyed beauty said softly, her eyes twinkling with adoration. However, the sharp rubies turned mischievous as Shizuru's hand fell over the front of her jeans "In any and every way _possible._ I _want_ to do this, even if it may not turn out as well as your Obaa-san's."

With a final squeeze to Natsuki's clothed member, she said, "why doesn't Natsuki take a nice hot shower and relax? Dinner will be ready by the time you get out. Then I shall give you your surprise, hmm?"

A surprise? Natsuki couldn't help but perk up at that. "What kind of surprise?" she asked eagerly.

Shizuru chuckled. "If I told it wouldn't be much of a surprise, now would it. Shower, dinner, then Natsuki will get her surprise. Now go." She gave her girlfriend one last kiss before extracting herself from Natsuki's embrace and exiting the room. Natsuki flopped back on the bed, dazed.

"How'd I get so lucky?" she wondered aloud. "Maybe the universe doesn't hate me all that much." With a heavy sigh of content, the teenager set about finding some clothes to change into after her shower.

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Thirty minutes later, a squeaky clean Natsuki emerged from the bathroom in nothing but a pair of dark blue boyshorts and white tank top. Her long dark hair was swept into a messy bun, with a few errant strands falling into her eyes. She'd just finished putting lotion on and had begun a game of _For Honor_ on her Xbox when Shizuru sautered back in armed with a steaming plate of delicious looking fried noodles and a small package in the other.

She handed Natsuki the plate first. "I hope Natsuki likes it."

"This looks fucking amazing." Natsuki announced, already breaking her chopsticks. Shizuru watched in amusement as she began to shovel the food down her throat, seemingly unbothered by its temperature. "It's so good." she breathed as she came up for air.

"Isn't Natsuki forgetting something?"

"Eh?" the dark head tilted to the side. "Oh, of course. Gomen, baby."

There was just something about the way Natsuki said that cursed word that made it tolerable… she'd grown tired of hearing it all over campus and seeing it all over social media, and now she just couldn't hear it enough. "Ara, anything for my sweet puppy, but I meant this." she held up a small tub of mayonnaise.

Natsuki smiled gratefully at the older girl. she took the jug and poured a hefty amount on her noodles before resuming. With her belly full and a content smile on her face, Natsuki placed the dish on her night-stand, somewhere out of the way before turning back to the girl who had thawed out her frozen heart.

Shizuru was looking at her with such a soft, adoring gaze that she felt her cheeks heat up a bit. The crimson-eyed minx giggled at her girlfriend's reaction as she presented the dark-haired teen the package she'd brought out from its hiding place a few moments ago.

"I hope I picked the right one…" the normally confident brunette said with a bit of insecurity in her light tone.

The wrapping paper was no match for Natsuki's quick fingers, and what she was left with once again left her speechless. " _Mass Effect: Andromeda_?!" she almost _squealed._ Her eyes darted back and forth between Shizuru and the game she'd been wanting since its release a few days ago, but she'd spent her hard earned check on Shizuru's doctor visits, groceries, and some baby supplies. Even though it was still early, she wanted to make sure her daughters had enough of everything they needed when they were born.

She'd wanted the game terribly, had so since the end of the trilogy a decade before, but she skimmed past her personal needs for Shizuru's and their family's.

"Ara, gomen, my love, but I overheard Natsuki tell Tate all about the game she's been wanting for so long. However, I knew my Natsuki would forgo her own desires for my needs. So, while Natsuki's been at work after school I've been babysitting the neighbor's baby girl so I could raise the money to-"

Plump lips claimed hers as Natsuki surged forward. Smitten laughter erupted from Shizuru's throat as her beloved's body wrapped around hers, mindful of her belly. " _Ara_ ," she breathed, "so I _did_ get the right one…?"

Natsuki pulled back, hands on either side of her girlfriend's head. She stared for a moment. Shizuru's feather-soft locks were tamed into complicated braid that fell prettily over her shoulder. A pair of _far_ too short black _Pink_ (or were they underwear?) shorts did little to hide slight impression of her nether lips, further inclining her to believe that maybe they were underwear. Her breasts were nearly spilling out of the silk bra she was wearing.

Natsuki was beginning to think her girlfriend had been plotting on her.

"Nah," she said lowering herself so their bodies were pressed intimately together. Shizuru did all of this… for her. She spent hours of her free time watching someone's spawn all to spend the money on her girlfriend. She made her a delicious meal. And now she was looking at her with a peculiar glint in her eye, a glint that Natsuki knew all too well. " _I think I did."_ she said as she re-connected their lips.

Shizuru's soft hands rose to cradle Natsuki's equally soft cheeks, tracing over defined cheekbones and a heart-shaped face, leaving liquid fire in their wake as they made their way into the dark locks she loved so much. Natsuki moaned softly against her lips when the pale digits tugged sensually at the long tresses, exposing the pretty throat she sought to press her mouth against.

Natsuki's eyes fluttered shut. "You're not too tired?" she questioned breathlessly, her fingers lingering on her girlfriend's round tummy.

"I have been waiting for Natsuki _all day_ ," the brunette said just as quietly, lips moving skyward to claim a sensitive ear lobe. Long legs sneakily wrapped themselves around Natsuki's lean waist. "The only thing I'm tired of is not feeling Natsuki _inside me._ "

"So you were plotting on me," Natsuki purred, placing her hands on either side of Shizuru's head."

"Whatever does Natsuki mean?" she cooed back, batting her eyelashes.

Natsuki grinned wolfishly. "Oh, it's like that? For sure. It's cool, baby, I know a few ways I can squeeze it out of you."

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An hour later, Shizuru lay sprawled out on the mattress, face wedged into the pillow with a bit of drool leaking out the side of her swollen lips. Natsuki chuckled at the sight and reached over to pull the sheets over her body to protect her from the early morning chill.

It was around 4am. The sun would be rising soon, and that meant she'd have successfully been awake for twenty-four hours straight for the second time that week. But there was something she absolutely had to do before she called it a night… morning… God, she didn't even know anymore.

" _Please_ let Vetra be Bi, please let Vetra be Bi. Come on, Bioware, don't let me down!" she pleaded, picking up her controller.

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 **I know it's a bit short and pretty much plot-less fluff, but it's been awhile since I've written anything. Months. Just trying to get my bearings back. I've been recovering from probably the most toxic relationship I've ever experienced that had left me broken to the core. Seriously, writing a love story all the while being horribly depressed doesn't mix, but I've been foolish. I forgot how relaxing writing these two women are, and I think I'll do something productive with my pain.**

 **I'll try not to be so long next time. Until then, my friends.**


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